A 50-year-old Israeli man, employed at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing, was stabbed multiple times in front of a supermarket on Friday, according to a report by Times of Israel. Beijing police have detained a 53-year-old foreign man in connection with the incident.
“An Israeli employee at the Israeli embassy in Beijing was attacked today (not in the embassy compound area),” according to the statement released by the Israeli government to the media.
“The employee is being treated in a hospital and is in a stable condition. The background to the attack is being investigated,” it continued.
Big Breaking 🚨
— QuickUpdate (@BigBreakingWire) October 13, 2023
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel has issued a statement regarding an attack on an Israeli staff member at the Israeli embassy in Beijing today, although not within the embassy’s compound.
The employee is currently receiving medical care in a hospital… https://t.co/RpBV8O7F5Z pic.twitter.com/xv7snlIvDj
A video, verified by AFP, is circulating on social media, showing a man wielding a knife and repeatedly stabbing another individual. The location of the footage has been identified as an area roughly one mile from the Israeli Embassy. The attacker can be seen leaving the scene while still holding the weapon.
🇮🇱以色列外交部称一名大使馆职员在北京遇袭。
— Meanwhile in China (@MeanwhileinCN) October 13, 2023
A 🇮🇱diplomat at Israel’s embassy in China has been injured in an apparent stabbing in Beijing.#Israel #Palestine #Gaza #IsraelUnderAttack #IsraelPalestineWar #السيوف_الحديديه #فلسطين #حماس #طوفان_الاقصي #Hamas #以色列 #巴勒斯坦 #加沙… pic.twitter.com/q8dx1p4Y1s
Nicholas Burns, the United States Ambassador to China, shared his shock over the attack in a message posted on X (Twitter).
We are shocked by today’s attack on an Israeli diplomat in Beijing. I spoke with Israel’s Ambassador to China, Irit Ben-Abba, and have offered our full support to the Israeli Embassy and Israeli community in China.
We are shocked by today’s attack on an Israeli diplomat in Beijing. I spoke with Israel’s Ambassador to China, Irit Ben-Abba, and have offered our full support to the Israeli Embassy and Israeli community in China.
— Ambassador Nicholas Burns (@USAmbChina) October 13, 2023
The US Embassy also released a statement following the attack.
An Israeli diplomat was stabbed today in the Chaoyang District of Beijing. The US Embassy does not have details on the motivation of the attacker. The US Embassy is not aware of specific threats to US citizens but recommends maintaining vigilance with regard to personal security.
An Israeli diplomat was stabbed today in the Chaoyang District of Beijing. The US Embassy does not have details on the motivation of the attacker. The US Embassy is not aware of specific threats to US citizens but recommends maintaining vigilance with regard to personal security. pic.twitter.com/5Yh5hdxAyw
— 美国驻华使领馆 US MissionCN (@USA_China_Talk) October 13, 2023
This incident occurred following a call from the former Hamas leader for a global day of Jihad on Friday the 13th.
