Tragic Attack on Tunisian Synagogue: Five Dead, Dozens Injured

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Five people were killed, and dozens more were injured when a national guardsman attacked a synagogue on the Mediterranean island of Djerba during a yearly Jewish pilgrimage in Tunisia on May 9th, dealing a severe blow to its thriving tourism industry and the vibrant Jewish community.

 

 

The assailant, Wissam Khazri, first killed his colleague using his service weapon before seizing ammunition and heading towards the annual pilgrimage at the Ghriba synagogue, the oldest of its kind in Africa.

Upon reaching the site, Khazri immediately opened fire and killed his first victim before moving to the security units stationed at the temple. According to Tunisia’s interior minister Kamel Fekih, the gunman fired indiscriminately to cause as many victims as possible. Still, security forces shot him down before even reaching the synagogue’s entrance.

 

 

Tunisian authorities said he was killed within 120 seconds after arriving at the complex. The synagogue was locked down during the attack, and the people inside and outside the building were kept secure as authorities investigated what caused the attack.

Three Tunisian servicemen and two civilians were killed during the attack, with dozens more injured. Among those killed were Aviel Haddad, a 30-year-old Israeli-Tunisian, and 42-year-old Benjamin Haddad, a French-Tunisian. While Tunisian authorities said Khazri planned the attack, they did not explain his motive for the assault.

 

 

Thousands of visitors from around the world visit and pray at the El Ghriba synagogue during an annual pilgrimage central to Tunisia’s Jewish community. The picturesque resort island in the country’s southern part is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in North Africa. However, its population declined significantly from 100,000 in 1960 to only 1,500 in present times.

France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office also opened an investigation into the incident. While Tunisian officials condemned the attack, they mainly described it as a criminal rather than a terrorist act, which would imply antisemitic motives.

After the attack, Tunisian President Kais Saied hosted an interfaith meeting with the country’s Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders. He said the meeting "attests to the tolerance and coexistence that have characterized Tunisia for centuries.”

 

 

He also told religious leaders that an investigation to determine whether Khazri had accomplices is already ongoing. Four people linked with the gunman and suspected of being involved in the attack were already arrested, according to Mosaique FM radio.

While he reassured the Jewish community and told them the government would guarantee its safety, Saied rejected normalizing ties with Israel and asked the international community to "put an end to the tragedy of the Palestinian people.”

El Ghriba was also a site of a 2002 truck bombing during the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the synagogue. Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, killing 21 people, including German and French tourists and Tunisians.

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