In the aftermath of the horrific terror attack that shook the Boulder community on Monday, Israel’s senior representative to the Pacific Southwest, Consul General Israel Bachar, traveled to Boulder, Colorado, on Wednesday to express solidarity with the victims, their families and the broader community—warning that “this dangerous ideology threatens democracy itself.”
On June 1, a man disguised as a gardener used Molotov cocktails and an improvised flamethrower to target participants in a weekly “Run for Their Lives” walk raising awareness for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Twelve people—ranging in age from 67 to 88, including a Holocaust survivor—suffered burn wounds, some of them severe. The suspect, 45-year-old Egyptian citizen Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with a federal hate crime; investigators are treating the incident as an act of ideologically motivated terrorism.
Upon his arrival, Consul General Bachar immediately visited those injured—both at UCHealth facilities and private residences—and then made a solemn stop at the Pearl Street Mall site to pay tribute to the victims and stand with the community during this painful time.
His visit underscored Israel’s deep empathy and unwavering support in the face of violence against innocent civilians. He also met at the site with Rachel Amaru, principal organizer of the Run for Their Lives event.
Throughout the day, Consul General Bachar engaged with state and city leaders, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis, in discussions focused on community healing, solidarity against hate and the enduring partnership between Israel and the Jewish and civic communities of Colorado.
He also met with Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett and City Council members Mark Wallach and Tara Winer. In each of these meetings, he conveyed the condolences of the State of Israel and reaffirmed the shared values of democracy, freedom and resilience that connect the people of Israel with those of Boulder.
At an evening community vigil held at the Boulder Jewish Community Center, Consul General Bachar delivered public remarks honoring those impacted by the attack and recognizing the extraordinary courage of those who came together in its wake. He condemned the perpetrators, noting the deep threat posed by extremist ideology: “The attack in Boulder at the Pearl Street Mall—and the recent shooting in DC, where Sarah and Yaron z”l were gunned down in cold blood—are attacks on all of us. Both terrorists were fueled by the radical pro-Hamas Palestinian movement. This dangerous ideology threatens democracy itself. It fuels antisemitism—and let’s be clear: anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”
Boulder's Jewish community fearful, shocked
In the days following the attack, Boulder’s Jewish community has been reeling from shock and fear. “Our community is really suffering and scared,” Brandon Rattiner, senior director of Colorado’s Jewish Community Relations Council, told CBS News after the incident. Local organizations such as JEWISHcolorado, in partnership with the JCRC, Secure Community Network, the Anti-Defamation League and others, have mobilized resources to bolster security at synagogues, day schools and community centers.
In addition, Jewish Federations of North America president Eric D. Fingerhut urged Congress to increase Nonprofit Security Grant funding to $1 billion and allocate additional resources for armed personnel at Jewish institutions, citing the Boulder attack as part of a “wave of domestic terror attacks aimed at the Jewish community.”
Israeli leadership also responded swiftly. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “aimed against peaceful people who wished to express their solidarity with the hostages held by Hamas, simply because they were Jews,” and attributed the violence to “blood libels against the Jewish state and people,” urging US authorities to prosecute the perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law.
President Isaac Herzog described the incident as “sickening and outrageous,” expressing solidarity with Boulder’s Jewish community and reaffirming that “we will never let terror win. The American and Israeli peoples stand united—determined to bring all our hostages home and to ensure no Jew, anywhere, stands alone.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid also condemned the attack as “the direct result of the extreme rhetoric that has fanned the flames of antisemitism."
