The Australian state of Victoria has ruled that MPs cannot wear keffiyeh scarves - a symbol of Palestinian identity - in parliament.

Green Party leaders asked for clarification after MPs for the party were asked to remove their keffiyehs.

In a joint ruling, both houses of the Parliament of Victoria said the scarf was a "political" symbol which MPs were not permitted to wear.

The ruling makes the Victorian legislature one of the few in the world to enforce a ban on the item of clothing.

On Wednesday, upper house president Shaun Leane asked four Green Party MPs who had been wearing keffiyehs to remove them.

Green Party leader Ellen Sandell sought to clarify whether the ruling was a one-off or a permanent ban.

In response, lower house speaker Maree Edwards said: “Political paraphernalia and badges are not allowed in the house. My ruling stands.”

But Mrs Sandell argued that MPs often wore items of clothing to show support for various causes, "all of which could arguably be seen as political".

“An MP today is wearing a yellow pin, which could be perceived by some as support for the Israeli military. Others are wearing rainbow badges," she added.

The speaker declined to comment and said further clarification could be sought from her office.

MP David Southwick welcomed the ban, telling a local news outlet that his yellow pin, worn in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza, was "not even a comparison".

Green MPs have taken to social media to protest against the ruling.

Gabrielle de Vietri wrote on X: "On Nakba day, the Victorian Parliament has banned the keffiyeh - one of the only parliaments in the world to do so."