A Woodfin administration official on Tuesday night clarified the mayor supports Israel after Woodfin reportedly deleted a tweet appearing to back the Jewish state after it prompted backlash on social media.

Denise Gilmore, senior director of the mayor’s office’s division of social justice and racial equity, addressed a gathering of Birmingham’s Jewish community at the Levite Jewish Community Center when she passed along a message from Woodfin:

“I want to make my position very clear: The attack on Israel was an act of terrorism by Hamas. The killing and kidnapping of innocent people should be unacceptable to everyone,” Gilmore said on Woodfin’s behalf. “I support Israel protecting the lives of its innocent citizens, including its children.”

On Saturday, Woodfin tweeted and then quickly deleted a message that read “stand with Israel” along with a picture of the Israeli flag in wake of the attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

But 1819 News, which reported on the tweet, said the post was quickly deleted after users began criticizing Woodfin’s response to the attack.

1819 News is a website that was once owned by the Alabama Policy Institute.

The outlet’s screenshot of replies to the tweet included one user saying, “This is the equivalent of being a Neo-Confederate, but I guess you need AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee] money.”

Other replies to Woodfin included, “Why would you say that [stand with Israel]? What is your stance on Palestine?” and “That’s a NO for me big dog [standing with Israel] … should be a no for you too.”

At the Jewish community gathering on Tuesday night, Gilmore spoke of the “historical bond between Jewish and Black communities” during the Civil Rights Movement, which celebrates its 60th anniversary.

“Today we pledge to stand just as tall with our Jewish neighbors,” she said. “The City of Birmingham is heartbroken over the senseless attacks.”