More than 80 town halls in France hoisted the Palestinian flag Monday ahead of the recognition of a Palestinian state by President Emmanuel Macron in defiance of a government warning not to do so.

Macron is to recognise a Palestinian state on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, joining other countries in a move that has angered Israel.

Palestinian flags were raised at town halls in major cities across France — including in Lyon, Nantes, Rennes and Besancon — in defiance of an order by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. Even in Paris, left-wing city councillors put up the flag for 30 minutes at the city hall, despite opposition from Socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo.

The interior ministry said that 86 town halls out of 34,875 across the country had flown the Pal

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