Arab World's Shame
Bondi Hero Ahmed al-Ahmed Labeled 'Traitor' for Saving Jewish Lives
Al-Ahmed's story is a beacon of moral clarity amid darkness, but the Arab world's embarrassment over his actions reveals an uncomfortable truth: For some, hatred trumps heroism.
In a stark display of ingrained antisemitism, sections of the Arab world have turned on Ahmed al-Ahmed, the Syrian-Australian Muslim hailed as a hero for disarming a terrorist during the deadly Dec. 14 attack on Sydney's Bondi Beach Hanukkah event. Labeled a "traitor" by Palestinian media outlets like Ramallah News, al-Ahmed's courageous act, potentially saving dozens of Jewish lives, has been twisted into an act of betrayal, underscoring the pervasive hatred that continues to plague Jewish communities worldwide.Al-Ahmed, who risked his life to subdue the gunman amid the chaos that left 16 dead and 42 wounded, was initially celebrated for his bravery. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese even honored him publicly.
Yet, in the West Bank and beyond, the narrative shifted: Saving Jews, it seems, is "un-Muslim" in the eyes of some. "Why some in the Arab world have turned on Bondi Beach hero: 'Traitor'," blared headlines in international reports, highlighting how al-Ahmed's heroism clashed with entrenched anti-Jewish sentiments.
This backlash isn't isolated. As detailed in accounts from The Australian and Daily Mail, voices in Palestinian society and Arab media condemned al-Ahmed for intervening in an attack explicitly targeting Jews—a festival of lights turned into a bloodbath by Islamist extremists wielding ISIS flags. The slur "traitor" echoes the toxic ideology that views any solidarity with Jews as heresy, a mindset that fuels global antisemitism and undermines genuine Muslim heroes like al-Ahmed.
Jewish leaders have decried the response as emblematic of deeper pathologies. "When saving innocent lives becomes treason simply because those lives are Jewish, it exposes the rot at the core of such narratives," said a spokesperson for StandWithUs, which spotlighted the hateful attacks on al-Ahmed.
As Australia grapples with its own rising antisemitism, exemplified by minimal repercussions for anti-Jewish chants at pro-Palestine rallies, not to mention the Prime Minister wearing a t-shirt associated with Jewish sex slaves in the Holocaust!), the global Jewish community stands with true allies like al-Ahmed, calling out the bigotry that seeks to silence them.