(Newswire.net — May 31, 2017) — On the eve of May 23, Tel Aviv City Hall lit up in UK’s Union Jack to express solidarity with Manchester after a suicide bombing killed 22 people and injured about 59 people at the end of a concert by American pop star Ariana Grande inside the Manchester Arena. The victims ranged from parents who came to fetch their children after the concert to the first-time concert goers.
Tel Aviv Lights Up the City Hall
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai took to Twitter to express his sympathies to the victims of the Manchester attack. He also promised to light up the city hall with the UK Flag, despite it being the eve of Yom Yerushalayim, a national holiday that began in 1968. It commemorates the reunification of the predominantly Arab State of Israel and the eternal capital of the Jewish People after separation for 19 years.
Tel Aviv is known as the cultural heart of Israel and is located on the country’s Mediterranean coastline. Tel Aviv flights go all-year round as over a million international tourists, annually, visit the city dubbed as “The City that Never Sleeps”. It is also considered as the financial and technology hub of Israel.
Cities across the world also projected the Union Flag colors on their monuments to show support to the people of Manchester. Among these include the Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, the Orlando Eye, England’s Penshaw Monument, Belfast’s city hall, and the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai.
Israel Sympathizes with Britain
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also relayed his condolences to all those affected by the event and condemned the terrorist attack. He recognizes that terrorism is a global threat and urges other countries to work together to put an end to these senseless acts of violence everywhere.
Danny Danon, the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, also issued a statement of support and concern to his British counterpart Ambassador Matthew Rycroft. He sends his condolences to the victims’ families and prays for the speedy recovery of those still undergoing treatment. He, along with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev, reiterated Israel’s commitment to stand with Britain during these dark times and to fight those who seek to harm the free world. The flag of Israel has also been lowered to half-mast at the Embassy in London.
Suspect in the Manchester Bombing
British police on Tuesday evening identified the perpetrator of the bombing to be British-born Salman Abedi, 22. The suicide bombing in Manchester is reported to be the worst in Britain for the past 12 years. The last deadly attack happened on July 7, 2005, wherein coordinated attacks on London’s transport system by four British Muslim suicide bombers killed 56 people.
The British Armed Forces have since been deployed at key locations in the United Kingdom to boost security. This is after the terror threat has been raised to the highest level of ‘critical’.