US airman sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington, DC

An active-duty member of the US Air Force was critically injured on Sunday after setting himself ablaze outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, while declaring that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide,” a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The man, whose name wasn’t immediately released, walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 pm and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, the source said. Law enforcement officials believe he then set his phone down and doused himself in accelerant and ignited the flames. At one point, the victim said he “will no longer be complicit in genocide”, the person said. The video was later removed from the platform, but law enforcement officials have obtained and reviewed a copy.

The source was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Police did not immediately provide any additional details about the incident, which happened as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks to seek cabinet approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah while a temporary cease-fire deal is being negotiated. Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, however, has drawn criticism, including genocide claims against the Palestinians.

In December, a person self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and used gasoline as an accelerant, according to Atlanta’s fire authorities. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and the act was believed to be one of “extreme political protest”.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington said its officers had responded to the scene outside the Israeli embassy to assist US Secret Service officers and that its bomb squad had also been called to examine a suspicious vehicle. Police said no hazardous materials were found in the vehicle.