A city mayor has apologised “unreservedly” after resharing a social media post which called the burning of four ambulances run by a Jewish charity an “Israeli false flag operation”.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, a councillor and the mayor of Bath, shared the X post and two others that incorrectly claimed an arson attack on the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green, north London, on Monday, was insurance fraud.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following the incident, which police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
The men, aged 47 and 45, both British nationals, have since been released on bail.
The Bath and North East Somerset Council member for Combe Down has since deleted the posts, describing them as “abhorrent”, and issued an apology.
In a statement, Dr Pankhania said the posts which he interacted with “have never aligned” with his values and beliefs.
He added: “I am incredibly apologetic that I have not lived up to the standards I set myself. I have of course deleted them and I wish to apologise unreservedly”.
Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area of north London, were set on fire on Monday.
Dr Bharat Pankhania has apologised for branding the Jewish ambulance attack an ‘Israeli false flag operation’
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UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Hatzola – the Hebrew word for save or rescue – is a large non-profit, Jewish-led organisation that provides a free emergency medical response and transportation to hospitals by volunteer medics.
As well as north London, it also operates in Manchester, Gateshead, Canvey Island, and Hertfordshire, working in conjunction with local emergency services for the wider community, regardless of faith.
In light of the arson attack, two men were arrested at two separate addresses in north west London and central London.
Searches were carried out at both addresses and further searches have also been carried out at two other addresses in north west London yesterday.
Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, which is leading the investigation said: “Although the two men have been released from police custody, there are strict bail conditions in place while we continue to investigate their suspected involvement in this incident.
“I can reassure the public that we will be closely monitoring these while we carry out further enquiries.
“We continue to work to try and identify all of those involved in this appalling attack and the investigation team is working around the clock to do this.
“I’d like to thank the public and particularly the local Jewish community in the area for their continued support and reiterate our appeal to anyone who might have information that could assist with the investigation to get in touch with us”.
The scene from the car park in Golders Green after Jewish Community-led Ambulances were set alight | GETTY
One eyewitness of the attack told GB News that she was “terrified” after hearing “four bangs” in the early hours of the morning.
Speaking to Home and Security Editor Mark White, Caroline Levey said: “To me it’s terrorism, because I was terrified, and it is bringing terror to our community.
“And to see this now, I’ve lived here over 60 years, it’s devastating.
“I got woken up at quarter to one this morning, and I haven’t slept at all since. I can’t – every time I close my eyes I hear that bang, and I heard all four of them”.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said that people are “terrified” about what is to come next, and that she herself was “absolutely disgusted to hear about those attacks”.
She said: “This is just the latest in a series of attacks on Jewish people, Jewish businesses.
“If it’s not ambulances being set on fire, Gail’s bakeries of all things are being targeted, and let’s not even begin with thinking about what happened in Heaton Park in Manchester”.