The head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said his heart had been “torn apart’’ by the killing of two employees at the Israeli embassy in Washington.
Council president Josef Schuster told dpa on Thursday that his thoughts were with the families of the victims.
He said he had just returned from Israel, where representatives of Jewish organisations from around the world said they were witnessing the spread of hatred against Jews and Israel.
“Just one day later, this has been confirmed in the most tragic way.
“The rise in political and anti-Semitic violence, even in Western societies, is shocking and threatening,” Schuster said.
Employees of Israeli missions are also particularly at risk in Germany, Schuster said.