Bharat Pankhania, the Liberal Democrat mayor of Bath, has resigned after sharing social media posts suggesting that an arson attack on Jewish community ambulances in London was staged by Israel. The posts, shared on his personal X account, described the attack as an Israeli false flag operation and claimed it was insurance fraud.
The arson occurred on 23 March in Golders Green, north-west London, where four ambulances operated by Hatzola, a volunteer-led Jewish ambulance service, were set on fire near the Machzike Hadath synagogue. Two British men, aged 47 and 45, were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and have been released on police bail.
Pankhania issued an apology last week, stating that the posts did not align with his values and were abhorrent. However, on Tuesday, he resigned as mayor and as a Liberal Democrat councillor on Bath and North East Somerset Council, from which he had already been suspended.
The Banes Liberal Democrat group accepted his resignations, stating that Pankhania had taken clear personal responsibility for his actions. The group reiterated its rejection of discrimination and stance against antisemitism.
