The Palestinian flag flies from the side of a tower block, not on a street in Gaza, but in the Republican New Lodge area of Belfast.
In this neighbourhood, flying the flag of the Palestinian territories is a sign of support for Catholic Irish Republicans and their aspiration for a united Ireland against what they see as British occupation.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
In Northern Ireland, the flags of Israel and the Palestinians are potent symbols of conflict - but here they divide Catholics and Protestants rather than Jews and Muslims.
In the complex web of alliances that underpins the British province's flag-obsessed politics, the Star of David has been adopted by pro-British Loyalists. These mainly Protestant communities, such as the Loyalist interface area of Twaddell Avenues where this flag flies, sympathise with Israel's struggle against Islamic militants.
. LISBURN, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
The flags are among dozens that have been adopted by the working class Catholic and Protestant areas that have for decades been at the focus of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland to fly alongside the ubiquitous British and Irish flags.
The official state flag, the Union Jack pictured here, is itself divisive, signifying not just loyalty to the British crown, but for some Republicans, hostility to Irish Catholics.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
The Irish Tricolour, pictured on a gravestone in Milltown cemetery, is the national flag of Ireland and is flown by Nationalists and Republicans in Northern Ireland to show their support for a united Ireland.
For many Loyalists this flag has associations with militant Irish nationalism and the three-decade fight against British rule - the "Troubles" - in which over 3,000 people died.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
In Belfast’s Loyalist Tigers Bay area a flag bearing the emblem of the Special Air Services (SAS) flies alongside the Union Jack. Loyalists fly the flag to show support for the British Special Forces group which carried out operations against Republican Paramilitaries.
. LONDONDERRY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
Occasionally Republicans fly the stars and stripes because Irish Americans were among their most loyal supporters during the Troubles.
But, like here in the Nationalist Bogside area of Londonderry, they also fly the flag of Washington's enemy Cuba, with left-leaning nationalist groups paying tribute to revolutionary heroes Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.
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. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A flag bearing the image of Che Guevara hangs from a shop on the Nationalist Falls road in West Belfast.
. LISBURN, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
The Jolly Roger flies from a house in the Loyalist Ballymacash estate on the outskirts of the city of Lisburn. The flag is flown as a warning to non-residents that they are entering a Loyalist Paramilitary controlled area.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A flag bearing the emblem of the Parachute Regiment flies in the Loyalist Tigers Bay area of North Belfast. Loyalists fly the flag to show support for the British Soldiers which carried out operations against Republican Paramilitaries.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A flag bearing a crown emblem and the name of Holland flies in the Loyalist interface area of Twaddell Avenue. Dutch flags are flown in honour of a military victory by King William of Orange in 1690 that cemented Protestant domination in the province.
. LONDONDERRY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A German anti-fascist flag flies from a house in the Nationalist Bogside area of Londonderry. Republicans have historically aligned themselves with anti-fascist groups around the world.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A flag comprising of various elements including the Ulster Banner and the Star of David flies on the interface of the Loyalist Twaddell Avenue and Nationalist Ardoyne in North Belfast.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A Loyalist flag bearing the words "No Surrender" and consisting of the flags that make up the Union flag flies on the interface of Twaddell avenue and Nationalist Ardoyne in North Belfast.
. LONDONDERRY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A flag supporting the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which is a dissident republican group, flies in the Nationalist Bogside area of Londonderry.
. LISBURN, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
The Ulster Banner flies in the city of Lisburn. It has become a symbol of Ulster loyalism and is only flown in Protestant areas of Northern Ireland.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
The Starry Plough flag is etched onto a gravestone near the Republican plot in Milltown cemetery. The flag adopted by the left-wing Irish Citizens Army a century ago, is associated with the Irish National Liberation Army, which disarmed in 2010.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A black flag in memory of the ten dead people who went on a hunger strike in 1981, flies in the Republican Ballymurphy area of West Belfast. In 1981 Irish Republican prisoners went on hunger strike protesting against their prisoner status resulting in the death of ten men.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
The Ulster Banner hangs at a window on Shankill road in West Belfast. It has become a symbol of Ulster loyalism.
. BELFAST, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) flag flies in the Loyalist lower Shankill estate in West Belfast. The RIR flag is flown in support of the operations they undertook against Republican Paramilitaries.
. LONDONDERRY, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton
A flag representing the Basque Country (top left), situated in northern Spain flies in the nationalist Bogside area of Londonderry.
