Blue-and-white colors the globe as nations, cities stand with Israel

Solidarity with Jerusalem is strong days after a horrific attack that leaves 900-plus dead, thousands wounded and more than 100 held hostage.

Jewish News Syndicate

Published October 9, 2023

Source: StandWithUsUK/X.

The Israeli flag is projected onto 10 Downing Street, residence of the British prime minister, on Oct. 8, 2023.

Some projected the Israeli flag onto buildings, others created elegant blue-and-white visual displays as around the world, nations made it clear that they stood by Israel’s right to protect itself in the wake of a Shabbat and holiday morning multi-pronged attack that has left 900-plus dead, thousands wounded and more than 100 held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In New York City, blue and white illuminated the Empire State Building, Moynihan Train Hall (the recently named Penn Station) and other sites. The state’s Gov. Kathy Hochul said “New York stands with Israel—today and every day.” New Jersey also showed support with blue-and-white lights at the governor’s mansion.

In Las Vegas, the mayor raised the Israeli flag over city hall and said: “The people of Las Vegas stand with you.” In Cincinnati, the town’s sign featuring its name switched to blue-and-white lights.

Florida saw multiple demonstrations. In Miami-Dade County, blue and white illuminated four different locations, and in downtown Miami, an Israeli flag with the word “Solidarity” switching from both English to Hebrew was projected onto the 700-foot-tall Paramount Miami Worldcenter skyscraper.

Israeli solidarity seen on the Paramount Miami Worldcenter on Oct. 8, 2023. Source: Screenshot.

In Canada, blue-and-white lights lit up the Peace Tower at Parliament and Vancouver’s city hall.

Through Europe, locations with a projected Israeli flag included the European Union headquarters in Brussels; Bulgaria’s parliament in Sofia; the British prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street in London; the president’s building in the Republika Srpska; the Italian prime minister’s residence Palazzo Chigi in Rome; and Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.

Paris’s Eiffel Tower used blue-and-white light to show sympathy, as did Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, Madrid’s Puerta Del Sol and a freeway tunnel in Bucharest, Romania. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, blue-and-white lights covered a bridge.

The Sydney Opera House in Australia was lit in Israel’s colors.
Six Australian cities lit up their buildings blue and white, including the iconic Sydney Opera House. Other locations in the country going blue and white were Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.