An Israeli flag has been delivered to Darlington Borough Council in the hope the authority will show solidarity with the victims of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Michael Walker, a Darlington resident, bought the flag off Amazon and sent it to the Town Hall earlier this week, as he urged the council to fly it in the town centre.
It comes after town halls across the country raised Israeli flags at the request of the government.
But Darlington Borough Council said it did not have an Israeli flag available to fly it within the specified time period.
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Mr Walker said: “We are fortunate to live in a safe town in a safe country, where we don’t live in fear. We must remember that many people around the world aren’t as fortunate as us.
“Flying the Israeli flag and showing that the town of Darlington is sending love and prayers to the people of Israel will send a clear message that terrorists will never win.”
Responding to Mr Walker, a Conservative party candidate in May’s local elections, council leader Stephen Harker said the Town Hall was instead lit up in blue and white on Tuesday evening.
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Cllr Harker, the Labour leader, said: “Having worked overseas and seen conflict, I am sadly only too well aware of the consequences for civilians. The images we have seen are devastating and the suffering unimaginable.
“The front of the Town Hall has been lit in blue and white, the colours of the flag of Israel, to reflect on these horrific events.”
Elsewhere in the UK, decisions to fly the Israeli flag have been embroiled in controversy. Protesters recently scaled buildings in Sheffield and Rotherham and replaced the flag with a Palestinian one.
Attacks by Hamas militants on the country’s territory have led to the Israeli government responding with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
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