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Israeli media outlets are questioning the country's intelligence capabilities following a deadly shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. that killed two Israeli embassy staff members Wednesday night.
The gunman, who was arrested at the scene, shouted "Free Palestine" during his apprehension, according to viral social media footage of the incident.
The Israeli newspaper Maariv characterized the attack as a "second security failure" for the Mossad intelligence service within a year, calling for a comprehensive investigation into what it described as security and intelligence breakdowns.
"The security establishment is supposed to launch a comprehensive investigation into security and intelligence failures following the deadly attack in Washington," Maariv reported Thursday.
The newspaper said responsibility for the incident spans multiple Israeli security agencies, including the Mossad, domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, and the Foreign Ministry's security department. According to Maariv, the Mossad bears responsibility for gathering intelligence about the location where the shooting occurred.
"It appears that the Mossad had failed for the second time in a year to generate an intelligence warning," the publication stated.
Maariv referenced what it called the first recent Mossad failure during a November UEFA League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax Amsterdam, where the newspaper claimed "hundreds of Israeli fans were attacked by pro-Palestinian groups." However, Amsterdam city senior councilor Jazie Veldhuyzen confirmed at the time that Israeli hooligans had instigated the violence.
The newspaper reported it remained unclear whether Israeli intelligence had any advance warning about the Washington attacker's identity or intentions.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 2023. According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 53,700 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, with casualties predominantly women and children.
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