In a matter of minutes, the sun-drenched paradise of Bondi Beach transformed into a hell of terror and death. And in an instant, a Muslim greengrocer became a hero. The Sydney Hanukkah massacre— at least 16 dead and 29 injured, one of the worst anti-Semitic hate attacks outside of Israel —will forever remain as images of a man in blue pants and a white shirt snatching a rifle from an attacker, and his meek, stunned face as he, helped by passersby, staunched the blood dripping from his leg.
Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old greengrocer, married with two children, is the hero of the day. According to local media, he's Muslim, though Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu called it "the pinnacle of Jewish heroism." Certainly, despite the images showing no hesitation in his actions, he has no experience with weapons. Quite the opposite: he's a greengrocer in Sutherland, a suburb 26 kilometers from Sydney. He's just a passerby who decided to intervene, and his decision likely saved several lives. The 43-year-old, sneaking unseen between parked cars, manages to stop an attacker. After a brief struggle, he wrestles the attacker's rifle and points it at him.
The attacker, now harmless, walks away, heading toward the other terrorist. Shortly thereafter, the latter fires at Ahmed, presumably hitting him. Despite his wounds, Ahmed remains lucid and doesn't return fire. Instead, he leans his rifle against a tree. While the greengrocer acts with incredible clarity, Bondi is in chaos.
At least 50 gunshots were fired at families gathered on the seashore to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights .
Two men opened fire on the crowd: one was killed, the other seriously injured. Among the victims were Sydney Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a 12-year-old girl, and a Holocaust survivor. Two police officers were seriously injured. The carnage could have been even worse: police found improvised explosive devices on a vehicle in the area of the attack.
One of the attackers is known to be Naveed Akram, 24. Informed sources say he is of Pakistani origin, but authorities have not confirmed this. His home in southwestern Sydney was searched, and a man later emerged in handcuffs. "An act of vicious anti-Semitism that has struck the nation at its heart," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented. "The evil unleashed on Bondi Beach is incomprehensible."
Letizia Prete, a 25-year-old from Como who studies, lives, and works in Sydney, says that "suddenly we heard bangs, and we immediately realized they were gunshots. People were running to get away from there, and as they ran, they tripped and fell. There was total chaos, and they kept shooting."
Australia and its Jewish community have received solidarity from major international leaders, along with that of the Australian Muslim community and the Palestinian Authority. Israel, however, has pointed the finger at Canberra, saying it is "guilty" of, among other things, recognizing the Palestinian state . The Australian government "has added fuel to the fire of anti-Semitism," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated. "It spreads when leaders remain silent."
(Unioneonline)