Tel Aviv City Hall Illuminated With Lebanese Flag in Show of Solidarity After Deadly Beirut Blast
by Algemeiner Staff
The facade of Tel Aviv’s city hall was illuminated with the Lebanese flag on Wednesday night — a show of solidarity with the Jewish state’s neighbor to the north following the deadly explosion in Beirut that killed at least 135 people and wounded thousands more.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the Lebanese people and all those affected by the terrible disaster in Beirut,” the Tel Aviv Municipality tweeted.
The city hall building is lit tonight with the Lebanese flag. Our hearts and thoughts are with the Lebanese people and all those affected by the terrible disaster in #Beirut. pic.twitter.com/ItO7ho9jMa
— Tel Aviv (@TelAviv) August 5, 2020
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai tweeted, “Humanity comes before any conflict, and our hearts are with the Lebanese people following the terrible disaster they experienced.”
הערב נאיר את בניין העירייה בדגל לבנון. האנושיות קודמת לכל סכסוך, וליבנו עם העם הלבנוני בעקבות האסון הנורא שפקד אותו.
— רון חולדאי (@Ron_Huldai) August 5, 2020
Israel quickly offered humanitarian relief to Lebanon after Tuesday’s blast.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry tweeted, “At the direction of FM @Gabi_Ashkenazi and Defense Min. Gantz, Israel via security and international channels has offered humanitarian medical assistance to the government of Lebanon.”
At the direction of FM @Gabi_Ashkenazi and Defense Min. Gantz, Israel via security and international channels has offered humanitarian medical assistance to the government of Lebanon
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) August 4, 2020
On Wednesday, it was reported that the possibility of Israeli hospitals taking in foreigners wounded in the Beirut explosion was being considered.
1 / Scoop: In light of a request from several countries: Israel is examining the possibility of accepting wounded people with foreign citizenship from Lebanon to hospitals in Israel, and the issue is currently under discussion >>
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) August 5, 2020
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted on Wednesday, “On behalf of the government of Israel, I send my condolences to the people of Lebanon. Yesterday Lebanon suffered a major catastrophe. We are ready to offer humanitarian assistance, as human being to human beings.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“On behalf of the government of Israel, I send my condolences to the people of Lebanon. Yesterday Lebanon suffered a major catastrophe. We are ready to offer humanitarian assistance, as human being to human beings.”— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 5, 2020
Israel has fought two major wars in Lebanon over the past four decades, the most recent taking place in the summer of 2006, when the IDF engaged in a 33-day-long conflict with Hezbollah — Iran’s Shi’a terror proxy based in the country’s south.
Some Israelis took issue with the Tel Aviv Municipality’s gesture. Cabinet minister Rafi Peretz — head of the right-wing Jewish Home party — tweeted, “Raising an enemy state’s flag in the heart of Tel Aviv is moral confusion.”
אפשר וצריך לסייע הומניטרית לאזרחים שנפגעו בלבנון אך הנפת דגל מדינת אויב בלב ת”א זה בלבול מוסרי.
לבנון אפשרה לחיזבאללה להתעצם ואף מאפשרת לפעילות טרור של איראן משטחה.
לפני 15 שנים הנפנו דגל כתום.דגל של אוהבים שכואבים על גירוש מחבלי מולדת,את הדגל הזה לא ראיתי מונף על עיריית ת״א..
— רפי פרץ (@realrafiperets) August 5, 2020