Recently, a photo with the caption, “Azerbaijan, a beloved Muslim nation, extends its sympathy by lighting its iconic tower in the colors of the Israeli flag” has gained traction on social media. This implies that Azerbaijan lit its famous tower in solidarity with Israel after the recent assault by Hamas.
Some viral Facebook posts with this claim can be found here (archive), here (archive), and here (archive).
Some viral X posts with this claim can be found here (archive), here (archive) and here (archive).
Fact-Check
According to the Rumor Scanner investigation, it was determined that the assertion that Azerbaijan illuminated its renowned tower in the colors of the Israeli flag, as a response to Hamas’s recent attack on Israel, is inaccurate. The image being shared is actually from 2015 when Azerbaijan highlighted the flags of all the countries that participated in the European Games on their Flame Towers, including that of Israel.
A reverse image search directed us to a Facebook post dated June 30, 2015, from the ‘Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles’ which features the same image.
The post states that the Israeli flag was showcased on Baku’s Flame Towers to celebrate Team Israel’s involvement in the European Games.
On that same day, the consulate’s X account also shared the photo, emphasizing Team Israel’s role in the 2015 Baku Games.
Further investigation led to a video on a YouTube channel named ‘maberajo’, dated June 28, 2015, titled “Flame Towers Baku with all Europe Flags.”
Viewing the video reveals the flags of the nations that participated in the 2015 European Games, showcased on Baku’s Flame Towers. This includes the Israeli flag. The video’s description indicates it was captured during the European Games in Baku on June 18, 2015.
Furthermore, there is no credible source to substantiate the claim that the Flame Tower in Baku was recently illuminated in the colors of the Israeli flag due to Hamas’s assault on Israel.
Mainly, Baku, Azerbaijan hosted the European Games for the first time in June 2015. During the event, the flags of all participating nations, including Israel, were displayed on the Flame Towers. The 2015 image of the Israeli flag on the Flame Towers is currently being shared falsely, suggesting Azerbaijan’s recent solidarity with Israel post the Hamas attack.
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So, the claim that Azerbaijan lit their Flame Towers in the colors of the Israeli flag in solidarity with Israel for the recent Hamas attack is false, and the image circulated is an old image from the European Games 2015 held in Baku.
