Israel called out for hypocrisy as it says it 'stands with Iranian women'

Israel has been accused of hypocrisy for its messages backing the ongoing wave of women-led protests in Iran.

On Thursday, the official account ofthe mayor of Tel Aviv, Ron Huldai, shared a video in which the words 'Women Life Freedom', a rallying cry for Iranian protesters, were projected onto a building in the city.

"@TelAviv-Yafo stands with the women and girls bravely protesting across Iran for their basic rights. We will always stand with those who fight for freedom against oppressive regimes," read the tweet from the Tel Aviv mayor accompanying the video.

The video was also shared by the Twitter accounts of the Israeli government and the Israeli foreign ministry.

Respondents to the tweet accused Israel of selectivity in its support of women's rights and protest.

Some brought up Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian journalist who was shot dead by an Israeli sniper as she reported on a raid in the occupied West Bank in May, as an example of Israel's disregard for women's freedoms.

After initially trying to deny responsibility, Israel later conceded that it was highly likely that Abu Akleh was killed by a bullet fired by its soldiers, but failed to accept accountability for the killing, calling it "unintentional".

"How about also standing with the brave Palestinians fighting for freedom? #JusticeForShireen," tweeted academic Josh Reubner in response to the Tel Aviv mayor's stunt.

Some criticised Israel for its threats of all-out with Iran over its nuclear enrichment program.

"[You] won’t stand for Iranian women’s rights when the Israeli regime war mongers & threatens to unleash nuclear war on Iran," Palestinian academic and author Yara Hawari said in response to Huldai's tweet on Thursday.

"Let alone standing for the rights of the Palestinian women your regime oppresses and kills in front of your very eyes. Pathetic," she said.

The latest wave of protests in Iran was sparked by the death of a young Kurdish Iranian woman in morality police custody last month, with her relatives accusing police of beating and torturing her.

Mahsa (Jina) Amini had been arrested by the police for wearing her headscarf 'improperly'.

The nationwide protests have been met with a fierce crackdown by security forces, with one Norway-based human rights organisation estimating that more than 130 people have been killed since the demonstrations began.