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A French administrative court ruled that the flag had to be removed to maintain neutrality in public buildings.
By Shula Rosen
When Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, France, was ordered to remove the Israeli flag from his town hall, he found another solution to show support for Israel.
A French administrative court ruled that Estrosi had to remove the Israeli flags in the interest of upholding the principle of neutrality in public buildings.
The Israeli flag was the subject of a series of complaints and appeals after its placement was initially permitted.
Estrosi, however, found a workaround and displayed images of hostages on Nice’s town hall, as well as pictures of two French citizens currently being held by Iran.
“I have been forced, by a court decision, to remove the Israeli flags from the town hall. I naturally respect and comply with my country’s judicial decision, but I refuse to equate an Islamist terrorist movement with a humanitarian gesture,” Estrosi wrote on X.
The Nice town hall began flying the Israeli flags following the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7.
Estrosi, decrying the “murderous assault” that occurred on Oct. 7, decided to display Israeli flags in a show of solidarity.
The mayor insisted that the statement was meant to be humanitarian, not political, but many complained that the display supported the Israeli government and therefore violated French rules about neutrality in public spaces.
Earlier this month, the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes region urged Estrosi to remove the flags.
However, the mayor was undeterred until the court order and said those who accused him of playing politics by displaying the flag had given in to anti-Israel rhetoric delegitimizing Israel.
“Since Oct. 7, LFI (left-wing party La France Insoumise) has been multiplying its antisemitic allusions and turning the Israeli flag into a symbol to be torn down,” he said.
Despite the court ruling, Estrosi affirmed his ongoing commitment to stand against antisemitism and anti-Zionism. “I made promises to the people of Nice,” he said. “That mission continues.”
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