News- World: In defiance of an interior ministry warning, almost two dozen town halls in France have raised the Palestinian flag from their entrances ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's much-expected recognition of the Palestinian state.

The French president is set to declare recognition of the Palestinian state in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, fulfilling a promise he made in the summer that caused displeasure in Israel.

Nonetheless, the hardline Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who  heads the right-wing Republican Party, issued a circular last week instructing prefects – the highest local officials appointed by the state – to resist the display of the flags.

“Nantes is supporting this historic decision by the French Republic by raising the Palestinian flag for the day,” the Socialist Party (PS) mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland, said in a post on the social media platform X.

The flag was already hoisted in front of the town hall in Nantes, a prominent city in western France.

The extensive suburb of Saine-Saint-Denis in Paris also displayed the Palestinian flag during a ceremony that was attended by PS leader Olivier Faure, who has strongly opposed Retailleau's directive and stated that he has contacted Macron, requesting the president to revoke it.

“It is a sign of solidarity with this decision,” to recognize a Palestinian state, he told BFM TV television news network.

The town halls of at least half a dozen Paris suburbs run by left-wing parties also hoisted the flag.

According to the interior ministry, a total of 21 town halls throughout the country were displaying it.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Mission to the United Kingdom conducted a special ceremony on Monday that featured the raising of the Palestinian flag in London, one day after the United Kingdom announced its recognition of Palestinian statehood.

On Sunday, Britain officially recognized Palestinian statehood, joining other nations like Australia and Canada in this recognition ahead of the UN General Assembly meetings this week. The Palestinian plight and the ongoing Israeli genocidal war in Gaza are expected to be highlighted during the events.

The decision made by the UK held significant symbolism due to its major involvement in the creation of Israel following World War II.

Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian mission, said on Sunday that the move was a “long overdue acknowledgment” of the right to self-determination and an understanding that peace can only be achieved when Palestine is liberated.

In a related development, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Aghabekian, expressed hope that Japan would acknowledge the State of Palestine as soon as possible.

“I think Japan is a peace-loving country and a law-abiding country and respects human rights ... and as such it's only natural that it would come forward with recognition,” the minister said in an interview with the Kyodo news agency in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday.

“I hope they change their mind as soon as possible,” she added, emphasizing that genocide has been occurring in the Gaza Strip since 2023.

Aghabekian expressed her “disappointment” with Japan's decision not to recognize Palestinian statehood for now and urged Tokyo to reconsider its stance.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya stated on Friday that Japan would postpone the recognition of a Palestinian state and would announce any measures towards recognizing Palestine “in due course.”

“But the question remaining is when that will be, when the timing of that will be,” Iwaya said.

Aghabekian said, “It was clear that Japan, at this specific time, will not recognize because the argument is that they need to study and go through a process. But my response to that is, how much longer do you need to study under the circumstances that we are currently facing?”

The top Palestinian diplomat pointed to reports "all over saying that genocide is being committed, that violations in the West Bank are against international law.”

Source: Press TV