Over 50 town halls in France were flying the Palestinian flag Monday in defiance of an interior ministry warning not to do so ahead of the recognition of a Palestinian state by President Emmanuel Macron. "The principle of neutrality in public service prohibits such displays," the interior ministry said, adding that any decisions by mayors to fly the Palestinian flag should be referred to courts. The standoff has underlined the social and political tension in France following the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza. The Socialist Party (PS) mayors of Nantes and Rennes, big cities in western and northwestern France, flew the flags outside their city halls to mark the occasion. In total 52 town halls out of 34,875 across the country were flying the flag, the interior ministry said.