A vigil for the victims of the Orlando massacre. Israel’s embassy in Washington held a moment of silence in honor of victims of the attack. Photo: Wikipedia.

Israel’s embassy in Washington had been planning its first-ever Pride reception celebrating the gay and lesbian community, held on Monday evening, for several months. It had not planned to begin the event with a moment of silence.

Marking the murder of 49 people at a gay club in Orlando, Florida last week, Israel’s US ambassador Ron Dermer — himself a Miami native — told the gathering that he wanted to offer “a simple message.”

Read full story at The Jerusalem Post.