French Muslim Organizations Condemn Anti-Semitic Attack in Sydney
French Muslim Organizations Condemn Anti-Semitic Attack in Sydney
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Several French Muslim organizations have strongly condemned a deadly attack targeting Jewish people during Hanukkah celebrations on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australian media reported.
According to Australian authorities, two assailants opened fire on a crowd gathered on Sunday evening to mark the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. At least 16 people were killed and more than 40 others injured in the attack, which officials described as an act of terrorism. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced the incident as a “purely evil, anti-Semitic, and terrorist act.”
In France, Muslim organizations issued unanimous statements condemning what they described as a “barbaric” assault that targeted people solely because of their faith. The Council of Mosques of the Rhône (CMR) said the attack represented “an absolute denial of the fundamental principles of the Republic and the universal values of humanity,” including freedom of conscience, equality, and respect for human dignity.
The organizations also highlighted the actions of Ahmed al-Ahmed, an Australian Muslim citizen of Syrian origin, who reportedly intervened during the attack and managed to disarm one of the assailants. The CMR and other groups described his intervention as courageous and lifesaving.
The Grand Mosque of Paris also condemned the attack, calling the killing of worshippers gathered for Hanukkah “unbearable and unacceptable.”
The Muslims of France (MF) federation similarly denounced the violence and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, stressing that hatred can never justify such acts and praising the courage shown in attempting to stop the attack.
