Tragedy and Heroism at Bondi Beach, Australia

We are saddened and outraged to learn of the tragic and horrific, cold-blooded and unprovoked murders of 15 people on Bondi beach in Sydney, Australia. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and friends of every victim of this calculated and nihilistic slaughter of innocents.

We are further troubled by reports that the gunmen appear to have targeted Jews celebrating the festival of Hanukkah. We urge every person of faith and of no faith – every peace-seeking individual genuinely committed to the harmonious coexistence of all peoples – to stand together in compassion, solidarity, and reassurance with the communities affected by this senseless tragedy.

We offer our heartfelt gratitude and profound respect to the “rear guard” hero, Ahmed Al Ahmed, whose decisive and selfless act of bravery in confronting and disarming one of the gunmen – despite being shot himself – undoubtedly saved many innocent lives, an act of stupendous heroism rarely seen in modern times.  

When communities and peoples are determined to unite and stand together in peace and justice, the last refuge of fomenters of hate and division is always calculated, murderous violence. We reject this existential nihilism utterly and affirm the inherent dignity and worth of every human life, and will continue to fight against all forms of hatred, bigotry and xenophobia. At the same time, we commit ourselves to embracing and uplifting the everyday acts of courage, compassion, and selflessness that bring people together in the shared pursuit of peace for all humanity.