Teacher Stabbed to Death, Diplomat Slashed as 'Day of Jihad' Begins
Violence marked the opening hours of Friday’s “day of Jihad.”
Khaled Meshaal, a former leader of Hamas, called on Muslims worldwide to make Friday a “day of Jihad” and stage protests to support Hamas, according to the New York Post.
In France, a French language teacher was stabbed to death Friday morning in the city of Arras, according to the BBC.
Witnesses said the man shouted out, “Allahu Akbar”, or “God is greatest,” in the midst of the stabbing. In addition to the one teacher who was killed, a second teacher and a security guard were injured.
Police said the man who was arrested in the incident is a Chechen national in his 20s who was known to have links with radical Islam. Media reports said he was once a student at the high school where the attack took place.
The French anti-terror prosecutor’s office said the suspect is being held on charges of murder in connection with a “terrorist enterprise” and “attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.” French media said the man’s brother has been arrested as well.
In China, an Israeli diplomat was stabbed in the street, according to the South China Morning Post. The Israeli foreign ministry said the man who worked at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing was hospitalized in stable condition.
WARNING: The following video clip contains imagery the viewer may find disturbing
Breaking News Beijing: A member of staff at the Israeli embassy has been attacked by a man with a knife. Its unclear at this stage if the attacker was a #HamasTerrorist supporter. #China #Beijing #Israel pic.twitter.com/g4miBr3157
— Jim Ferguson (@JimFergusonUK) October 13, 2023
The incident was caught on video, showing the attack, the two men wrestling and the attacker’s eventual escape.
According to the Associated Press, a 53-year-old man described as a foreigner was arrested in connection with the stabbing of the 50-year-old diplomat.
Amid fears, some American Jews said they will not give in to fears and cancel school or religious activities, according to Fox News.
“To me, I actually think it’s really important that we send our children to school because if you look at Jewish history … there’s been this really long history for the Jewish people of people trying to make us hide our practices or not do our practices,” Zahava Berkowicz, whose child attends a Jewish school in the suburbs of Chicago, said.
“I think it’s really important to teach our children to be proud of who they are and to be proud of being Jewish,” Berkowicz said.
“Yes, we’re scared, but I think we do need to be brave and strong because we owe that to our brothers and sisters in Israel. Our value system is Jewish learning and Jewish prayers. And it’s really important that our kids are going to school because the people who want to actually wipe us out and murder us for our religion, they want nothing more for us than to stop sending our kids to school, to not pray, to not learn Jewish values,” she said.
Rabbi Shaanan Gelman, whose Chicago-area synagogue was the target of an unfounded bomb threat Thursday, said he will not give in to fear.
“Our response is we’re going to keep this synagogue open, and we’re going to operate business as usual,” he said. “We’re going to double, triple, quadruple our crowds because … we’re not going to be threatened, intimidated out of our practices and our beliefs.”
Akiva Block, a New Jersey rabbi and a Jewish religious law teacher at SAR High School in New York, said Jewish people must stand strong.
“The day of jihad, the day of rage that’s being called asking people all over the world to attack Jews, I think should really, for all of us, dispel the notion that one can separate the state of Israel with the Jewish people,” he said. “I wish this weren’t the case, but as a community, we’re very used to Hamas calling for a day of rage. This is not the first time that that’s taken place, and I suspect it won’t be the last.”
Block said he was not afraid to send his children to school or hold Friday night and Saturday services.
“We’re proud Jews, and what they want … is to make us scared, and the worst thing we can do is be scared. So, we’re going to live our lives. We’re going to practice our faith. We’re going to uphold the values that are most important to us, values of peace and understanding and love,” he said.
“And we’ll continue to support one another and elevate one another and be there for one another in this time of great difficulty. And we’re going to get through this story together, and no day of rage can ever stop us,” he said.
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