Signs highlighting the link between a popular British seaside town and Israel’s sixth-largest city have been removed.
Four signs on the outskirts of Bournemouth recognising one of its twin cities Netanya suddenly disappeared.
The discovery sparked outrage in the coastal resort, with Bournemouth’s Jewish Mayor Anne Filer voicing her “upset”.
She said: “It might be something completely harmless and there may be a very simple explanation.
Bournemouth's sign includes its twinned towns
“I hope that the police investigation finds them soon and gets them back to where they should be.”
However, according to The Telegraph, Dorset Police had no record of the incident.
Signs marking the relationship were removed from “Welcome to Bournemouth” signs at Mountbatten Roundabout, Ringwood Road, Magna Road and New Road.
The popular seaside town was first twinned with Netanya in 1995.
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Netanya is Israel's sixth-largest city
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Michael Filer, chairman of the twinning committee, said: “It could possibly be nothing, no problem whatsoever, that somebody is doing some kind of repair work or the other kind.
“But there could be unpleasant intent... we would like to get them back. Bournemouth has been twinned with Netanya, who went through the Bournemouth council some 20 years ago, and there have been inter-town visits on a frequent basis.
“I look forward to them being put back again and carrying on with normal procedures.”
A spokesman for Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council said it was not responsible for taking down the signs.
Bournemouth beach
PA“We have been made aware that some signage has been removed at Mountbatten Roundabout and several other locations,” the spokesman said.
“We are currently looking into this issue.”
Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood was separately targeted by pro-Palestine protesters earlier this year.
Demonstrators assembled outside his home with signs accusing him of being complicit in genocide.