The Mayor of Bath has resigned after sharing misleading social media posts that called the burning of Jewish ambulances in Golders Green an "Israeli false flag operation".
Dr Bharat Pankhania, a Liberal Democrat councillor and the 798th mayor of Bath, had already been suspended following the tweets. He has since also resigned from his role as Lib Dem councillor on Bath and North East Somerset (Banes) council.
His resignation was confirmed by a Banes Liberal Democrat council group spokesman.
"Cllr Bharat Pankhania has offered his resignations from the position of Mayor of Bath and from the Liberal Democrat Group on Bath and North East Somerset Council, from which he had already been suspended. Both these resignations have been accepted.
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"Cllr Pankhania again apologised for his interactions on X, and reiterated that he has spent his life working with all communities, whilst acknowledging the hurt he had caused.
"In resigning, Cllr Pankhania is taking clear personal responsibility for his actions.
"As a Group and as a Party, we reject discrimination wherever it occurs and reiterate our stance against antisemitism."
Dr Pankhania apologised "unreservedly" for the "abhorrent" tweets last week, which also claimed the arson attack in Golders Green on Monday could be insurance fraud.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, the Mayor of Bath, has resigned after sharing misleading social media posts that called the burning of Jewish ambulances in Golders Green an 'Israeli false flag operation'
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In a statement posted online, he said: "I have been made aware that I have reposted or replied to some posts which have never aligned to my values and beliefs, and which are abhorrent.
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".
The posts were in relation to the arson attack in the car park of a synagogue in north London last week, which police are now treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
Four ambulances run by community charity Hatzola were set ablaze on Monday, March 23.
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The arson attack on the Jewish-led ambulance service is now being treated as an anti-semitic hate crime by police
| GETTYTwo people were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following the incident.
The men, aged 47 and 45, both British nationals, have since been released on bail.
Hatzola is a large, non-profit, Jewish-led organisation that provides free emergency medical response run by volunteers.
Outside of 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.
Following the attack, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told GB News: "It is not good enough, actually, for us to say simply, we're going to stand with the Jewish community or talk about the Jewish community's fight against antisemitism.
"This is an obligation on all of us, and I genuinely think there are lots of people in our country who, of course, are horrified by the sight of bombed-out ambulances, horrified by the sight of where antisemitism and antisemitic hatred take people."
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