Reading Borough Council asked to fly the Palestinian flag

The flag has been a symbol of the land of Palestine for 100 years and has been used in conflicts since the foundation of the state of Israel in 1948.

It has recently been flown at protests following the outbreak of the latest Israel-Gaza war on October 7, 2023, in which thousands of people have been killed.

The State of Palestine was formally recognised by the UK government in September 2025, with councils in Bristol, Oxford, Sheffield and Newham flying the Palestinian flag. 

Now Reading Borough Council has been asked whether it will fly the flag outside of its offices in Bridge Street during a meeting of its policy committee.

Councillor White, leader of the Green Party on the council, said: “Green councillors are deeply concerned about what the United Nations Commission of Inquiry and many international organisations and legal experts have described as Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Since the ceasefire announced in October 2025, more than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in subsequent Israeli military operations, while the humanitarian situation remains catastrophic.

“Last year, Sheffield City Council chose to fly the Palestinian flag above its Town Hall on the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People as a gesture of solidarity with civilians affected by the conflict.

“Would the Labour leader of the council consider Reading council taking a similar step by flying the Palestinian flag on an appropriate occasion as a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people and Reading’s Palestinian community?”

The council leader Liz Terry answered that flying any flag other than national and regional British flags requires advertising consent, and therefore the matter is not as simple as attaching the Palestinian flag to its second pole at the council offices.

The first pole is reserved for the UK flag.

Cllr Terry (Labour, Coley) said: “Whenever I ask about flying flags, I get difficult answers because of these regulations, and so I’ve asked for a review to provide some flexibility so that I can consider a number of different flags, including probably the Palestinian flag.”

Councillor Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), the leader of Reading Borough Council. (Image: Reading Borough Council)

The Pride flag and the flag of the Royal County of Berkshire have been seen outside of the council offices.

In a follow-up question, cllr White (Green, Park) said: “It’s good that you are looking into this, and you’re possibly considering flying the Palestinian flag.

“I guess I’d like some clarity on why Reading council is needing to work on this when other councils have taken that action already.

“So it seems like other councils are able to take that action, it’s fairly clear cut in their opinion, so what’s the difference?”

Cllr Terry replied: “The difference is that the council has been following particular regulations about the rules about different types of flags.

“What I’m accepting is that it’s not entirely clear when we want to fly flags that we can or can’t fly them.

“That’s the advice I get back when I ask.

“So I’m asking for that to be properly clarified and a policy to come through so that it won’t be confusing, because as you say, other councils can fly other flags and we just need to regularise that.”

While she was unable to provide a timescale for the flag-flying policy cllr Terry said that officers are already working on it.

The exchange took place on September 16.

The Palestinian flag is based on the 1916 Arab Revolt flag, which involved a successful resistance against the Ottoman Empire that was assisted by Lawrence of Arabia.