Paris: As France prepares to formally recognize the state of Palestine on Monday, 21 town halls across the country raised the Palestinian flag in defiance of a government ban. The French Interior Ministry reported that 21 municipalities out of 34,875 had displayed the flag, despite clear instructions to prefects to prevent Palestinian flags from being hoisted on town halls and other public buildings.

According to Anadolu Agency, the broadcaster BFM TV highlighted that the towns where the flag was raised include Nantes, Stains, and Saint-Denis. Other municipalities were reportedly planning to raise the flag later in the evening, demonstrating a widespread sentiment among local governments in defiance of the national directive.

On a related note, on Sunday, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced their recognition of Palestine, bringing the total number of UN member states that have taken this step to 153 out of 193. This move adds significant international momentum to the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state.

Furthermore, eleven countries, including Malta, Luxembourg, France, Belgium, and Armenia, have also signaled plans to recognize the state of Palestine during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. World leaders are set to convene in New York on Monday for high-level discussions, which will further address the issue of Palestinian recognition among other global matters.