Czech envoy apologises for posting picture of Israel flag

The Czech Ambassador to Kuwait, Martin Dvorak, yesterday apologised for publishing the Israeli flag on his official Instagram account as an expression of his solidarity with the occupation state.

The Czech embassy in Kuwait published the ambassador’s apology on Twitter.

“I am extremely remorseful for placing the Israeli flag on my private profile and, in so doing, inspiring understandable outrage and indignation among many people with regards to the current, deeply dramatic situation in the Gaza Strip,” said the envoy’s post on Twitter.

By no means did he want to change the embassy's view of the current deplorable situation in Palestine,where innocent people are dying.The Czech Republic has repeatedly called on both parties of the conflict to start negotiations on a peaceful solution for their people.

— CzechEmbKuwait (@CzechEmbKuwait) May 17, 2021

Dvorak’s post of the Israeli flag sparked popular outrage in Kuwait and a social media campaign was launched calling for his expulsion.

“It was absolutely not my intention to express any manner of disrespect towards the innocent Palestinian victims and casualties whose loss we are currently witnessing, to my great sorrow,” he said.

The recent tensions that started in East Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan spread to Gaza as a result of Israeli assault on worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

READ: Palestinian ambassador says de-escalation must have a price for Israel