Israeli Police Under Scrutiny Following Incident Involving Palestinian Flag on Kippah

A British-Israeli academic expressed disbelief to the BBC after being arrested by Israeli police for wearing a Jewish skullcap, or kippah, adorned with both the Israeli and Palestinian flags. Alex Sinclair, 53, recounted being detained in a café near his residence in Modiin, central Israel, on Monday. He was directed to surrender his kippah and confined to a cell, only to later discover the Palestinian flag portion had been removed.

Social Media Sparks National and Global Debate

The peculiar event gained traction after Sinclair posted his account online. Israeli authorities confirmed a complaint was lodged with their internal investigations unit. According to the police, officers responded to a report on a hotline regarding a man displaying a Palestinian flag on his kippah. They described the action as a measure to “evaluate and resolve” the situation.

“Five minutes later, the police arrive. Two officers, and they immediately tell me my kippah is against the law,” Sinclair wrote on Facebook.

At the time of the incident, Sinclair was using his laptop in the café. He claimed he attempted to clarify the legality of his head covering, but was taken to the police station and denied access to his belongings. After 20 minutes, he was released without his kippah, which had the Palestinian flag section severed.

Legal Context and Political Implications

There is no explicit law in Israel prohibiting the public display of the Palestinian flag. However, police have the authority to seize such symbols if they perceive them as a threat to public order or a link to terrorist groups. The current National Security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has directed officers to target Palestinian flags, a move critics argue infringes on free expression rights.

Sinclair, who is also a novelist, has worn the dual-flag kippah for over two decades. He ordered it from a Jerusalem shop and describes it as a representation of his complex Jewish-Zionist identity. “I’m doing all of this as a Zionist, as someone who chooses to live here,” he said, emphasizing his belief in shared rights for both Israelis and Palestinians.

“I think that’s part of the reason this story has gone so crazy,” he added, noting the “evocative” nature of the image of the kippah with the Palestinian flag removed.

Sinclair aims to differentiate himself from right-wing religious nationalists. He explained that in Israel, people often associate a kippah with specific political groups, which he does not align with. “When you walk around Israel and people see you in a kippah, they immediately connect you to certain groups,” he said.

Despite occasional tensions, Sinclair has generally received positive responses from Palestinian citizens. He acknowledged some uncomfortable encounters but highlighted how his choice sparked “interesting conversations about politics” in the past. The recent detention, however, left him feeling “anger and frustration,” as he now fears being monitored by the police.