Israel condemns Palestinian flag over German Reichstag

Israel's embassy in Berlin condemned the raising of a Palestinian flag outside the German parliament building on Sunday, calling it a symbol of hatred toward the Jewish state. The statement came after German police arrested two of three suspects involved in the incident.

"The Palestinian flag is not a symbol for something, but rather a symbol against something," the embassy said. "Around the world, it is not raised as a symbol for Palestinians, but as a symbol of hatred toward Israel. In France, for example, it served as the flag of violent riots against the Republic."

The embassy added: "Anyone who hangs the Palestinian flag in Berlin while removing the German flag makes it unequivocally clear that he is against everything that black, red and gold represents: freedom, democracy and the rule of law."

Earlier on Sunday, a 22-year-old man climbed the flagpole outside the Reichstag building in Berlin, removed the German flag that normally flies there, and replaced it with a Palestinian flag. Fire and rescue forces arrived at the scene and positioned a ladder to bring the man and the flag down from the pole, but he eventually descended on his own. The flag remained flying for several minutes before it was removed and replaced with the German flag.

Police said three suspects were detained and taken for questioning, including the man who climbed the pole and two other men, one aged 20 and the other 32, who assisted in the act from the ground and filmed the flag replacement. After questioning, the 20-year-old suspect was released to his home, while the other two were transferred to custody. Police said all the suspects are German citizens "with no immigration background."