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 the State of Palestine.
Ahead of the landmark move, set to be finalised 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.
kAmw2C5=:?6 x?E6C:@C |:?:DE6C qCF?@ #6E2:==62F 2C8F65 E92E E96 9@:DE:?8 @7 !2=6DE:?:2? 7=28D QD6C:@FD=J F?56C>:?6D E96 AC:?4:A=6 @7 ?6FEC2=:EJ @7 AF3=:4 D6CG:46DQ] k^Am
kAmw:D @77:46 92D FC865 =@42= AC6764ED E@ E2<6 E96 >2EE6C E@ E96 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 4@FCED \\ E9@F89 E96J 42??@E @C56C E96 A@=:46 E@ E2<6 E96 7=28D 5@H?]k^Am
kAmqFE $@4:2=:DE =6256C ~=:G:6C u2FC6 \\ H9@D6 A2CEJVD DFAA@CE uC2?46VD ?6H 8@G6C?>6?E H:== =:<6=J ?665 E@ DFCG:G6 \\ FC865 !C6D:56?E t>>2?F6= |24C@? E@ 2==@H >2J@CDV @77:46D E@ 7=J E96 7=28 :7 E96J D@ H:D965]k^Am
kAmQxE H@F=5 ?@E @?=J 36 2 DEC@?8 86DEFC6 E@H2C5D 2== E9@D6 4@>>:EE65 E@ C6D@=G:?8 E96 xDC26=:\!2=6DE:?:2? 4@?7=:4E[ 3FE 4@?D:DE6?E H:E9 uC2?46VD A@D:E:@? :?E6C?2E:@?2==J[Q 96 D2:5] k^Am
kAmu2FC6 2C8F65 #6E2:==62F H2D A=2J:?8 A@=:E:4D E@ F?56C>:?6 |24C@?VD AFD9 7@C C64@8?:E:@?]k^Am
kAmQxE :D ?@E E96 7=28 96 W#6E2:==62FX :D 282:?DE]]] xE :D E96 9625 @7 DE2E6VD 564:D:@? E@ C64@8?:D6 2 !2=6DE:?:2? DE2E6[Q u2FC6 E@=5 qu|%' $F?52J 6G6?:?8]k^Am
k9am\ Vr962A 4@>>F?:EJ A@=:E:4DV \k^9am
kAmq@C:D '2==2F5[ E96 $@4:2=:DE !2CEJVD E@A =2H>2<6C :? E96 }2E:@?2= pDD6>3=J[ E96 =@H6C 9@FD6 @7 uC2?46VD A2C=:2>6?E[ 2=D@ AFD965 324< 282:?DE H92E 96 42==65 #6E2:==62FVD Q:?4@CC64EQ :?E6CAC6E2E:@? @7 ?6FEC2=:EJ] k^Am
kAmw6 A@:?E65 @FE E92E E@H? 92==D 925 QC:89E7F==J C2:D65 E96 xDC26=: 7=28Q 27E6C w2>2DVD ~4E@36C[ f a_ab 2EE24< E92E 3682? E96 H2C :? v2K2[ H9:=6 QE96C6 2C6 2=D@ &<C2:?:2? 7=28DQ @? D@>6 3F:=5:?8D :? E96 H2<6 @7 #FDD:2VD :?G2D:@?]k^Am
kAmQp 7=28 @? E96 7C@?E @7 E@H? 92== 92D ?6G6C <:==65 2?J@?6[ H9:=6 :? v2K2 E96 xDC26=: 2C>J <:==D 6249 52J[Q vC66?D =6256C |2C:?6 %@?56=:6C E@=5 2 $F?52J AC@\!2=6DE:?:2? C2==J :? !2C:D]k^Am
kAmqFE !9:=:AA6 q2==2C5[ 2 =2H>2<6C H:E9 E96 72C\C:89E }2E:@?2= #2==J A2CEJ[ 244FD65 >F?:4:A2=:E:6D @7 AC24E:D:?8 Q4962A 4@>>F?:EJ A@=:E:4DQ H:E9 E96 9@:DED[ H9:=6 9:D 4@==628F6 y62?\!9:=:AA6 %2?8FJ 42==65 E96 :?:E:2E:G6 Q:==682=Q]k^Am
kAmtG6? E@H? 92==D @? E96 =67E 2C6 5:G:565 @G6C E96 :DDF6]k^Am
kAm%96 $@4:2=:DE >2J@C @7 rC6E6:=[ @FED:56 @7 !2C:D[ D2:5 E92E 96 H@F=5 C67FD6 u2FC6VD 42== 2D 96 925 2 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ E@ QAC6D6CG6 D@4:2= 4@96D:@?Q]k^Am
kAmx? E96 42A:E2= AC@A6C[ E96 t:776= %@H6C H2D E@ 36 =:E FA H:E9 2 AC@;64E:@? @7 3@E9 E96 xDC26=: 2?5 !2=6DE:?:2? 7=28D \\ 2=@?8D:56 2 5@G6 @7 A6246 \\ 29625 @7 E96 C64@8?:E:@? >@G6[ E96 >2J@C @7 !2C:D D2:5]k^Am
kAm3FC\D24^;>E^4=C^44^D3<k^Am