Israeli Knesset pushes legislation to outlaw display of Palestinian flag in public
Israeli legislators are pushing a new bill that would see the display of the Palestinian flag punishable by up to one year in prison in the latest crackdown by the far-right Israeli administration led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The legislation is backed by members of the hard-line Jewish Power political party, and states that three or more people waving the flag of what they described as a “hostile entity” will be considered a prohibited gathering and therefore punishable.
The Israeli Knesset (parliament) has already voted on a preliminary approval of the bill, and it will need three additional votes to pass.
Ever since taking office earlier this year as the most right-wing administration in the Israeli regime’s history, Netanyahu’s cabinet has introduced a raft of legislation aimed at appeasing the far-right society in the occupied territories.
Plans to weaken the Supreme Court have outraged Israeli settlers, who see it as an assault on their system of checks and balances. The legislation has already sparked off months of weekly protests across the occupied lands since the start of the year.
Hamas condemns Knesset’s move to ban Palestinian flag
Meanwhile, the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement has censured the Israeli parliament’s plan to ban Palestinian flags from public places, stating that the move is in line with the religious war waged by the sitting fascist Israeli administration against Palestinians.
“Approving such a draft bill in a preliminary reading would give Israeli occupation forces the green light to further violate Palestinian people’s rights,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
The resistance movement further highlighted that such actions will neither terrify Palestinians nor discourage them from waving their nation flag, which represents their identity, unity and struggle.
Hamas went on to call upon the international community, the United Nations and all concerned organizations to condemn the Israeli regime’s policies and crimes, which are in violation of the most basic and fundamental principles of human rights.
The resistance movement urged world bodies to support Palestinian people in their quest for liberation and independence.
