US Air Force Airman Dies After Setting Himself on Fire Outside Israeli Embassy
Aaron Bushnell, 25, Set Himself Ablaze in Apparent Protest
An airman who had set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington in protest of Israel has died in the hospital.
Aaron Bushnell, 25, died from his injuries on Monday, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. He had set himself on fire outside the embassy on Sunday evening.
Bushnell was an active-duty member of the US Air Force, assigned to the 11th Wing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He had served in the Air Force for six years.
The motive for Bushnell's self-immolation is still under investigation. But a photo posted on social media shows Bushnell holding a sign that says, "No justice, no peace." The sign also includes a reference to Palestine.
Bushnell's death is the latest in a string of self-immolations in recent years. In 2019, a Palestinian man set himself on fire in the Gaza Strip in protest of the Israeli blockade. In 2018, a Syrian man set himself on fire in Jordan in protest of the Syrian civil war.
Self-immolation is a form of protest that has been used for centuries. It is often seen as a desperate act, but it can also be a powerful way to draw attention to a cause.
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