Palestinian flags to be removed from public spaces in Israel

ISRAELI police have been ordered to remove Palestinian flags from public spaces by the new hard-right national security minister, who called them a symbol of terrorism.

The directive from Itamar Ben-gvir, who heads an ultra-nationalist party in Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government, came after Israel released the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner, Karim Younis, after 40 years of detention for killing an Israeli soldier.

The hero’s welcome he received in his home town appeared to enrage Mr Ben-gvir, as images circulated of Younis waving the Palestinian flag as he was carried on the shoulders of friends and relatives.

“It cannot be that lawbreakers wave terrorist flags, incite and encourage terrorism, so I ordered the removal of flags supporting terrorism from the public space and to stop the incitement against Israel,” Mr Ben-gvir said on Sunday.

Israeli law does not outlaw Palestinian flags but police and soldiers have the right to remove them when they deem there is a threat to public order.

Mr Ben-gvir is an outspoken advocate of introducing the death penalty for Palestinians who commit “terror offences” against Israelis.