The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality lighted up with the German flag on Sunday evening, expressing solidarity in the aftermath of devastating floods that have claimed more than 150 German lives.Sunday saw Germany's death toll rise to 157 in its worst natural disaster in almost six decades, and the European toll to 188.
About 110 people have been killed in the worst-hit Ahrweiler district south of Cologne. More bodies are expected to be found there as the flood waters recede, police say.The floods, which began on Wednesday, have mainly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia as well as parts of Belgium. Entire communities have been cut off, without power or communications.Ron Huldai, mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo, said: "Condolences to the German people and to our many friends in our partner cities in Germany. On behalf of the residents of Tel Aviv-Yafo, I send wishes for a quick recovery from this terrible disaster."The Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality building's has lit up its facade many times, both to show support to another countries during catastrophes and to celebrate with another country during a special occasion.Most famously, on August 5th 2020, Huldai announced that the building would light up with the Lebanese flag, as the troubled country reeled from Beirut port explosion that claimed over 200 lives. The move created a buzz since Israel and Lebanon are officially at war. Many applauded the move, while some, such as then prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son, Yair, condemned it. In May 2017 the building also displayed the flag of Egypt, as 29 Coptic Christians perished in a brutal attack when terrorists stormed the bus they were riding on their way to a monastery outside of Cairo.It has also lit up with the flags of Britain, France, the US, and Germany, to name a few. During the first wave of the coronavirus in Israel, the building also lit up with the words "Bnei Brak," in support of its neighboring city that was experiencing an especially severe outbreak.