Israeli Police Detain British Academic Alex Sinclair, Cut Palestinian Flag from Kippah in Modiin

Alex Sinclair, a 53-year-old British-Israeli academic, was detained by Israeli police on Monday in Modiin, central Israel, after a man reported his kippah, a Jewish head covering, which was embroidered with both Israeli and Palestinian flags. Sinclair reported that officers confiscated his kippah, subjected him to detention, and subsequently returned the item with the Palestinian flag portion cut off.

Police Actions and Legal Framework

According to Sinclair, he was approached by a man in a cafe who claimed his kippah was illegal and threatened to call the police. Shortly after, two officers arrived, asserting the kippah violated the law and confiscating it. Sinclair was then taken to a police station, frisked, and held in a cell. Upon his release, he was initially denied the return of his kippah, but when it was eventually handed back, the Palestinian flag had been deliberately removed.

Israeli police confirmed that a report had been made regarding a man wearing a kippah with a Palestinian flag and that Sinclair was brought to the station for "clarification" before being released. A complaint has since been filed with the Police Internal Investigations Division within the Ministry of Justice, leading to a refusal by the police to provide further details.

While no explicit Israeli law bans public displays of the Palestinian flag, police are authorised to confiscate flags if they are deemed a "threat to public order" or associated with a terrorist organisation. Critics note that the current far-right National Security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has issued instructions to police to aggressively clamp down on Palestinian flags, a directive that Israeli rights groups argue is illegal.

Reactions and Implications

Sinclair, a lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, stated he has worn the dual-flag kippah for two decades as a symbol of his "messy ambivalence" regarding his Jewish-Zionist identity, distinguishing himself from right-wing religious nationalists. The Hebrew University has formally condemned the police's actions, citing a "blatant violation of freedom of expression."

Yair Golan, leader of Israel's Democrats Party, characterised the incident as indicative of the "collapse of the Israeli police." Sinclair has filed a complaint alleging unlawful detention and property damage, seeking compensation for his damaged kippah. He plans to order a new kippah featuring both flags, noting that some believe this incident may inspire others to adopt similar symbols.