THE tower at Scottish Borders Council headquarters in Newtown St Boswells was lit up in blue and white colours on Tuesday October 10.

This was done to show solidarity with those individuals and families, including beyond Israel’s borders, impacted by the recent Hamas attacks.

A similar response followed the terror attacks in Paris and the actions of Russian forces in Ukraine.

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The council insist that its action does not signify support for any particular side and has now issued a public statement:

“Following a request to the Council and in light of the UK Government’s decision regarding the flying of the Israeli flag/coloured lighting of UK Government buildings, Scottish Borders Council lit the tower at our Newtown St Boswells offices blue and white on Tuesday evening.

“This reflected our solidarity at the immediate time with all of those affected by the deadly terrorist attacks in Israel at the weekend by the proscribed terrorist group Hamas.

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“The lighting of the tower in blue and white was solely in response to the terrorist attacks by Hamas, which have received almost universal international condemnation.

Categorically, this simple action was not intended to, and did not, infer our support for any particular side involved in the complex political situation in this area of the world, nor ignorance or lack of sympathy for those impacted by any subsequent actions.

“It reflected our solidarity with those individuals and families, including beyond Israel’s borders, impacted by the Hamas attacks, and is in accordance with similar actions and statements issued previously, including following the terror attacks in Paris and the actions of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Earlier this week Borders MPs John Lamont and David Mundell were amongst more than 300 British parliamentarians from both houses who signed a statement condemning attacks by Hamas.