PARIS, France (AFP) — French politicians bickered on Sunday over whether it is appropriate to hoist Palestinian flags outside town halls on the eve of the country’s planned recognition of a State of Palestine.
Ahead of the landmark move, set to be finalized at the United Nations General Assembly in New York starting Monday, the government told town halls not to fly the flag and take down any Palestinian banners that they had already put up.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau argued that the hoisting of Palestinian flags “seriously undermines the principle of neutrality of public services.”
His office has urged local prefects to take the matter to the administrative courts — though they cannot order the police to take the flags down.
But Socialist leader Olivier Faure — whose party’s support France’s new government will likely need to survive — urged President Emmanuel Macron to allow mayors’ offices to fly the flag if they so wished.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
“It would not only be a strong gesture towards all those committed to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but consistent with France’s position internationally,” he said.
First secretary of French left-wing Socialist party (PS) Olivier Faure (R) speaks to the press next to National secretary of French far-left Communist party (PCF) Fabien Roussel (L) during a march asking for the “recognition of the State of Palestine and the end of the genocide”, in Paris on September 21, 2025. (Bertrand GUAY / AFP)
Faure argued Retailleau was playing politics to undermine Macron’s push for recognition.
“It is not the flag [Retailleau] is against… It is the head of state’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state,” Faure told BFMTV Sunday evening.
‘Cheap community politics’
Boris Vallaud, the Socialist Party’s top lawmaker in the National Assembly, the lower house of France’s parliament, also pushed back against what he called Retailleau’s “incorrect” interpretation of neutrality.
He pointed out that town halls had “rightfully raised the Israeli flag” after Hamas’s October, 7 2023 attack that began the war in Gaza, while “there are also Ukrainian flags” on some buildings in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
“A flag on the front of town hall has never killed anyone, while in Gaza the Israeli army kills each day,” Greens leader Marine Tondelier told a Sunday rally in Paris.
National secretary of the French left-wing The Ecologists party, Marine Tondelier speaks as she takes part in the ‘Stop the Genocide’ rally at Place de la Republique, in Paris on September 17, 2025. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)
But Philippe Ballard, a lawmaker with the far-right National Rally party, accused municipalities of practicing “cheap community politics” with the hoists, while his colleague Jean-Philippe Tanguy called the initiative “illegal.”
Even town halls on the left are divided over the issue.
The Socialist mayor of Creteil, outside of Paris, said that he would refuse Faure’s call as he had a responsibility to “preserve social cohesion.”
In the capital proper, the Eiffel Tower was to be lit up with a projection of both the Israeli and Palestinian flags — alongside a dove of peace — ahead of the recognition move, the mayor of Paris said.
Is The Times of Israel important to you?
If so, we have a request.
Every day, even during war, our journalists keep you abreast of the most important developments that merit your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fast, fair and free coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
We care about Israel – and we know you do too. So today, we have an ask: show your appreciation for our work by joining The Times of Israel Community, an exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and financially support our work.
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel