'Denial of self-determination': Palestinians defiant in face of Ben-Gvir's flag ban

"As a Palestinian living under occupation, I will keep raising the Palestinian flag. This measure won't change a thing," Muhammad Abu el-Humos, a resident and activist in occupied East Jerusalem, told The New Arab. 

Israel's far-right security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has banned raising the Palestinian flags in public spaces. The order came after celebrations were held in the town of Ara following the release of long-time Palestinian prisoner Karim Younes. 

The Palestinian flag was also raised Saturday evening in Tel Aviv during a rally held by the opposition-provoking members of the Israeli government. 

"I demand that everyone stop this immediately," Israeli PM Netanyahu tweeted, describing the raising of the Palestinian flag and holding "Free Palestine" signs by some members of the Israeli opposition as "wild incitement."

ראיתי את התמונות הקשות אמש בהפגנת השמאל שהשוו את שר המשפטים למנהיגי הנאצים.

את דגלי אש״ף בהפגנה.

את השלטים שקראו ״לשחרר את פלסטין מהשלטון הקולוניאליסטי הציוני״.

זוהי הסתה פרועה שעברה ללא גינוי מצד האופוזיציה או ערוצי התקשורת המרכזיים.

אני דורש מכולם לעצור זאת מיד. pic.twitter.com/YS4pVR4DHt

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) January 8, 2023

Palestinian flags are generally tolerated inside the green line but not in occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli police routinely attack Palestinians holding their flag. 

Many Israelis refer to the Palestinian flag as the Palestine Liberation Organisation-PLO flag to criminalise the act of holding it. Prior to the signing of the Oslo Accords, Israel denounced the PLO as a "terror" organisation. The flag colours are, however, the Pan-Arab colours which are black, white, green and red. 

Israeli law does not include any explicit prohibition on raising the Palestinian flag in public, legal experts charge. 

Adalah, the legal centre for Arab minority rights in Israel, criticised the measure calling it in line with the current government's "explicit denial of the right to self-determination."

"This policy does not merely violate Palestinians' rights to free speech but also constitutes a denial of and an attack on Palestinians' national identity," Adalah told TNA.

 Meanwhile, Likud lawmaker Ofir Kats announced that he intends to advance legislation revoking Israeli citizenship and the permanent resident status of any "terrorist" who receives financial compensation from the Palestinian Authority for carrying out a "terror act."

זה הדגל של העם שלנו, הוא סמל למאבק למען צדק, חירות וסיום הכיבוש.

נמשיך להניף אותו בכל מקום, יחיו הקנאים ויסבלו! pic.twitter.com/fM03cwVasS

— Sami Abou Shahadeh (@ShahadehAbou) January 8, 2023