Police raid Arab-majority party offices and confiscate Palestinian flag
MK Ofer Cassif says the event has ‘a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression and association’ in Israel; unclear if the officers had a search warrant
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Police raided the Umm al-Fahm offices of the youth wing of the Arab-majority Hadash party on Friday, tearing down and confiscating a Palestinian flag ahead of a May Day rally.
The incident, first reported by Haaretz, is the latest in a series of incidents of police confiscating Palestinian flags, even though they are not outlawed.
Footage showed a masked officer ripping the flag off the wall before leaving. Hadash officials told Haaretz that the police did not identify themselves, and it was unclear if they had a search warrant for the premises.
Activists told the newspaper that raids are not uncommon ahead of events such as rallies. A May Day rally, which celebrates the history of labor organizing, was set to take place Saturday.
Party activists called on the officers to stop, but did not confront them.
Other activists and senior party officials, including former Knesset member Dr. Yousef Jabareen and regional party secretary Marid Farid, arrived at the club after the police left.
Jabareen told the Walla news site that he holds far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who is in charge of policing, responsible.
בשיא ההכנות לצעדת האחד במאי, כוחות משטרה פשטו על מועדון חד״ש באום אל-פחם והחרימו דגלי פלסטין ממועדון המפלגה הקומוניסטית. הפשיטה עוררה ביקורת חריפה בקרב פעילים פוליטיים, הרואים בה חלק ממגמה רחבה של הגבלת חופש הביטוי והפעילות הפוליטית, במיוחד כלפי הנהגת הציבור הערבי וכוחות שמאל… pic.twitter.com/izd0PYUDn5
— Yanal Jabarin ينال جبارين | ינאל ג׳בארין (@JbareenYanal) May 1, 2026
“It is a provocative and thuggish step with no legal basis whatsoever. This behavior is a continuation of the Ben Gvir police’s policy of silencing and suppressing freedom of expression,” he said.
Hadash-Ta’al lawmaker Ofer Cassif wrote to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to demand an investigation.
“Breaking into a club belonging to a legal party on the eve of a legal protest march has a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression and association,” Cassif wrote.
Hadash said they would continue to ensure there would be a large showing at the May Day rally.
In response to the incident, the police said that “as part of operational activity in the Umm al-Fahm area, forces are working to maintain ongoing security and public order in the region to ensure public safety.”
“The circumstances of the incident will be examined,” the statement added.
Displaying a Palestinian flag is not illegal, but police regularly confiscate them, claiming they disturb the peace and can lead to incitement.
Last week, police detained a resident of the central city of Modiin for wearing a kippa displaying a Palestinian flag alongside an Israeli one, and later cut up the religious head covering to remove the symbol.
The Times of Israel Community.