Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was compelled to issue a public correction after mistakenly identifying the Syrian-born hero who thwarted a mass casualty attack near Sydney’s Bondi Beach as Jewish.
The individual, 43-year-old fruit shop proprietor Ahmad Al-Ahmad, is being hailed globally for tackling an armed assailant and disarming him during a rampage that targeted members of the Jewish community.
Initially, during a speech delivered in Hebrew and broadcast on the highly nationalist Channel 14, Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the action as an instance of “Jewish bravery.” He stated: “I saw a video in which a Jew pounced on one of the murderers, seized the weapon, and saved countless lives.”
However, the Israeli leader later corrected his statement while speaking in English. “We saw the act of a brave human being, who it later emerged is a brave Muslim,” Netanyahu confirmed, adding that he was initially misinformed about Al-Ahmad’s identity. The Prime Minister utilized the occasion to accuse the Australian government of not doing enough to combat antisemitism.
Mr. Al-Ahmad’s immediate intervention is credited with preventing dozens of further casualties. However, concerns persist regarding his medical status, as doctors indicate his condition remains critical, with the potential loss of his left arm due to his injuries sustained while struggling with the attacker.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the alleged armed suspect in the Sydney incident, referred to as Naveed Akram, was not on any counter-terrorism watch list. Prime Minister Albanese also offered his commendation to the hero, stating, “I salute the person who stopped one of these terrorists from killing Jews.”
Global praise has poured in for Al-Ahmad. His father, Muhammad Fateh, highlighted his son’s sacrifice, saying that the bravery shown by his son saved the lives of dozens of innocent people.
Conflicting reports have surfaced regarding the attacker’s background. While the Australian Prime Minister mentioned Naveed Akram, reports from the Indian media and statements released by Indian police identified the alleged perpetrator as Sajid Akram, reportedly affiliated with Hyderabad in the Indian state of Telangana.
Hospital officials have indicated that the injured assailant is conscious and under guard. Authorities continue to gather detailed statements from eyewitnesses and advance police investigations into the horrific incident.
