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The Facts
The death toll of Tuesday's rampage near Ghriba Synagogue in Tunisia's Djerba island — where hundreds of Jewish pilgrims were gathering — has risen to six, after a police officer died on Wednesday from his injuries.
In the incident, a guard affiliated with the National Guard naval center in Aghir murdered a coworker before seizing ammunition and opening fire, killing two worshippers and a police officer. Security forces neutralized the assailant before he reached the entrance of the building.
The Spin
Narrative A
The swift intervention of Tunisian forces in this incident prevented a much worse tragedy, as hundreds of pilgrims were present in the historic Ghriba Synagogue at the time of the attack. Now, a preliminary criminal investigation is underway to assess exactly what led to this shooting. Tunis is deeply committed to ensuring the well-being of everyone in its territory.
Narrative B
The deadly rampage in Djerba is tragic and worthy of the strongest condemnation, but it should also be made clear that it was an explicitly antisemitic act of terrorism and it must be identified as such. Tunisian authorities may be quick to offer generic platitudes of sorrow, but their refusal to call out antisemitism shows that they are not serious about protecting the Jewish community.
