Pop star Justin Bieber took to Instagram on Wednesday to offer support to Israel, posting “Praying For Israel” on his story. There’s just one problem: his message was paired with a picture of Gaza.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 American popstar Justin Bieber posts the words “Praying for Israel” over a picture of Gaza. pic.twitter.com/eyaUELsOvg
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) October 11, 2023
The post has since been deleted and replaced, with the “Praying for Israel” caption now appearing alongside a heartbreak emoji over a plain green background.
“Truly hurting for both my Israeli and Palestinian friends,” Bieber previously said on his story. “I’m pretty sure we all instinctively know evil when we see it. To villainize all Palestinians or all Israeli people to me seems wrong. I’m not interested in choosing sides, but I am interested in standing with the families who have been brutally taken from us,” the pop star concluded.
Churchome, the Instagram account which originally posted the message over a photo of what appear to be buildings in Gaza that were destroyed by Israeli retaliation, deleted the story. (RELATED: GW University Student Group Holds ‘Vigil’ For ‘Martyrs Of Palestine’)
Israel’s military has launched a bombing campaign against Gaza in the wake of Saturday’s Hamas attack, that killed over 1,200 people including at least 22 Americans. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally declared war on Hamas and formed a national unity government to oversee the conflict.
Israeli jets continued to bomb Gaza into Tuesday night, hitting over 250 targets, Fox News’ Trey Yingst reported.
Huge wave of airstrikes against Gaza tonight. 250+ targets hit.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 11, 2023
Over 5000 rockets fired as per the sources from Palestine Gaza into Israel along with the ground invasion of few troops!!
Long days ahead!
— Amaan Mehdi (@AmaanQuest) October 7, 2023