Bondi hero Ahmed Al-Ahmed's new role supporting Australia's relations with the Middle East

By MAISY RAE and ASHLEY KNICKEL Published: 01:55, 23 April 2026 | Updated: 01:58, 23 April 2026 Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has been helping the government strengthen Australia’s relations in the Middle East.  Footage of Mr Al Ahmed wrestling a gun from one of the alleged Bondi Beach shooters went viral following the December 14 massacre.  The tobacco shop owner, who has met world leaders, visited the US and been interviewed by international media in the wake of his heroism, received more than $2.65million from GoFundMe donations. The Syrian-born hero was this week pictured at the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters alongside the official delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic. Mr Al Ahmed was also joined by a group of Syrian business leaders to discuss how to strengthen ties between the two nations. 'This visit comes within the framework of ongoing efforts to restore diplomatic relations and to work towards lifting the sanctions imposed on Syria, in a way that serves the strategic, economic, and social interests of both nations,' he wrote online.  'It was a valuable opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue, strengthen mutual understanding, and explore avenues for future cooperation that benefit our peoples and contribute to long-term stability and prosperity.' The meeting is believed to be the first high-level Syrian-Australian meeting since 2012. Bondi hero Ahmed al Ahmed recently helped bolster relations between Australia and Syria He attended the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Canberra alongside the official delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic Mr Al Ahmed wrestled a gun from shooter Sajid Akram during the shooting at Bondi Beach The Director General of Syrian Investment Authority, Tala Helali, said the meeting focused on restoring Syria's economic ties with Australia, the reopening of their embassy in Canberra and Syria's commitment to a 'secure investment climate.'  It came just days after Mr Al Ahmed attended the Expatriate Investors Support seminar organised by the Syrian Australian Chamber of Commerce in Sydney, which he said highlighted 'promising' investment opportunities.  He recently returned to Bondi Beach after he was awarded a 'Key to the City' in recognition of his bravery during the terror attack. Mr Al Ahmed was also gifted a lifetime Waverley Beach Pass, which gives him free waterfront parking at some of Sydney's best beaches. When presenting Mr Al Ahmed with his award last month, Mayor Will Nemesh described the hero's actions as 'a guiding light to prevail against the darkness'. 'Amid scenes of unthinkable horror, Ahmed ran towards grave danger to save countless innocent people, physically disarming one of the shooters and forcing him to retreat,' Mr Nemesh said, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.  'The entire Waverley community is incredibly thankful to him. 'These gestures we present today symbolise our never-ending gratitude. This gratitude can never be enough.' While in recovery post-surgery, he was personally delivered a huge GoFundMe cheque NSW Premier Chris Minns thanked Mr Al Ahmed via video message for showing 'the nation and also the world what true Australian courage looks like'.  'Without a second thought and without a sense of your own self-preservation, you put your own life at risk to save people that you've never met before,' he said. 'So today we remember everyone affected by this terrible crime. We know your story will continue to bring hope and togetherness as our community heals.' The Daily Mail has contacted DFAT for comment.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.