Mayor sorry for Jewish ambulance arson attack posts
Paul GillisA city mayor has apologised "unreservedly" after reposting a post on X 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 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 have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following the incident, which police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
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, Pankhania said the posts which he interacted with "have never aligned" with his values and beliefs, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
"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", he added.
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 in Essex, and Hertfordshire, working in conjunction with local emergency services for the wider community, regardless of faith.
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