Israel’s new far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has instructed police to remove Palestinian flags from public spaces. Ben-Gvir’s orders came after a Saturday mass anti-government protest in Tel Aviv, where some demonstrators waved the Palestinian flag.
Ben-Gvir, in a statement, said waving the Palestinian flag is an act in support of “terrorism”.
Although Israeli law does not outlaw Palestinian flags, the occupational forces often clamp down on any visible sign of Palestinian identity. Police and soldiers have the right to remove them in case it is a “threat to public order”.
Ben-Gvir heads an ultranationalist party in Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government. He recently stormed Al Aqsa Mosque, which triggered global outrage from pro-Palestinian groups.
