Israeli embassy employee attacked in Beijing

Beijing, China — AFP

An Israeli embassy worker in Beijing has been attacked, Israel’s foreign ministry said.

Video geolocated by AFP shows the man was stabbed with a knife on a street in the Chinese capital.

“An Israeli employee of the Israeli embassy in Beijing was attacked today,” a foreign ministry statement said, adding that the attack did not take place at the embassy compound.

“The employee is being treated at hospital and is in stable condition,” the statement said.

“The motive for the assault is being looked into.”

US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said he was “shocked” by the attack, offering his “full support” to the Israeli embassy and community in China.

“We are shocked by today’s attack on an Israeli diplomat in Beijing,” Burns said in a post on the social media platform X, adding he had spoken with Israel’s ambassador to China Irit Ben-Abba.

The stabbing comes after Israel’s disproportionately massive retaliation to Hamas’ Operation Al Aqsa Flood. Since six days, Israel is raining air and artillery strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, killing over 1,350 people- including hundreds of children.

A statement on the Israeli foreign ministry website referring to Friday’s ‘Day of Protests’ against Israel had warned Israeli citizens everywhere to stay cautious and alert as violent incidents could occur.

The Israeli embassy, located in a diplomatic neighbourhood of northeast Beijing, appeared to be operating normally on Friday afternoon.

Security personnel asked AFP not to film the site, where no additional policing was visible from the outside.

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond for comment.