Djerba Synagogue Terror

By: Dr. Chaima Amari

PC: Lonely Planet

Five people were ruthlessly murdered in, cold blood, during an annual Jewish pilgrimage near Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba in Tunisia. The assailant, a supposedly trusted member of the Tunisian National Guard, first slaughtered his colleague, took his service weapon, then seized ammunition and targeted the Ghriba synagogue.

When he reached the site, he opened fire on another colleague stationed stationed at the temple, who was able to fire back, killing him before he reached the entrance, then died in the blast, turning peaceful prayers into a chaotic and tragic scene and leaving behind five killed and 10 injured.

The victims included two Jewish pilgrims and three Tunisian National guard agents. Those injured incldue six National Guard Agents and four civilians.

Djerba, the picturesque island off the southern coast of Tunisia, is home

to the North African country's main Jewish community, where Jews,

Muslims and Christians live in harmony. Jewish leaders and Jewish historians cconsider Tunisian They consider the Ghriba synagogue as the most sacred place of worship in Africa. According to

tradition, it’s the first synagogue on the site, built with a stone or gate

brought from King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem after it was destroyed

in 586BC.

While authorities said they are investigating the ‘motives’ for the attack. The reality is that this monster was a part of the authority itself. Being a disqualified officer, he surprisingly passed his background check, as well all the specific exams and investigations. Then once permitted to hold a gun, he decided rather than serving and protecting his country and community, to kill his own colleagues and harmless human beings in a vilent and brutal act.

Although the international community has yet to adopt a comprehensive definition of terrorism, for its existing declarations and resolutions This was ‘terrorism by any definition.’

Especially, in Tunisia, which has shared citizenship and religious community integration with wonderful kosher restuarants and kosher oreiented hotels for the ultra religious Jewish community. Unfortunately, it was an act of terrorism amongst one their own.

Therefore, the world will always consider "the former's brutality worse

than the latter's hypocrisy”.