Flag of Palestine

The flag of Palestine consists of horizontal black, white and green stripes and a red triangle. The use of these colors is symbolic and derived from the Arabic colors, emphasizing a sense of unity and solidarity between communities.

The flag of Palestine is similar to the flags of the Hashemite Kingdom of Hijaz, the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and the short-lived Arab Union of Iraq and Jordan. 

What do the colors of the Palestinian flag mean? What is their symbolic meaning?

• Black: It represents mourning and sadness over the injustice and persecution suffered by the Palestinian people. It symbolizes the darkness that surrounds the homeland and the silence that prevails over children's laughter;
• White: Symbolizes peace and love, echoing the messages of the prophets. It reflects the desire for hearts free of hatred, as opposed to enemies who carry only malice;
• Green: It represents goodness, growth, blessings, and hope for the future. It symbolizes Palestine's potential for prosperity and flourishing, with the expectation that the barren land will once again become fertile and joyful;
• Red: signifies martyrdom, sacrifice and devotion. It is associated with the honor of giving one's life in defense of religion, family and country.

These interpretations reflect a deep emotional and cultural connection to the land and the struggles faced by the Palestinian people. Symbolism often plays an important role in expressing complex feelings and experiences.

The history of the Palestinian flag

The features of the Palestinian flag began to take shape during the Great Arab Uprising of 1916. The flag was black, green, and white with a red triangle. Black symbolized the eagle, green symbolized the Agl al-Bayt (the family of the Prophet Mohammed), and white symbolized the Arabs. The red color symbolized the Hashemite dynasty. After the success of the uprising, this flag became the flag of the newly created Arab state, which included Hijaz, Syria, and Lebanon. In Damascus, the flag was raised on the city hall on September 30, 1918, to replace the Ottoman flag.

The Palestinians used the Arab flag as a symbol of the first Arab nationalist liberation movement, despite the fact that Britain did not allow it to be raised. They raised it during religious celebrations and national gatherings. However, the British authorities prevented this and even used force to take it away from the participants of the celebrations. Demonstrators who tried to raise the Arab flag were shot, and participants in mourning for the martyrs used the flags of Arab countries to avoid problems with the mandate authorities. Such measures prevented Palestinians from using their own flag.

After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Arab flag was replaced by the Jordanian flag throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which belonged to Egypt. However, on September 22, 1948, the establishment of the All-Palestinian Government was announced and it was decided to adopt the Arab flag as the flag of Palestine. However, after Gaza was annexed by Egypt, the Egyptian flag was raised. Subsequently, it was allowed to raise the Palestinian flag alongside the Egyptian flag during national ceremonies and festivals. In 1958, a committee was formed to study the Palestinian flag, on which the colors were placed in the following order: black, white, green and red. Although the Arab League recognized an all-Palestinian government, the Palestinian flag was not displayed alongside the flags of Arab countries. Instead, it appeared in publications and editions as a white flag with the inscription "Palestine" in red.
The Palestine Liberation Organization, founded in 1964, adopted the Palestinian flag, which has horizontal stripes: the upper one is black, the middle one is white, and the lower one is green with a red triangle. The flag is allowed to be raised at the organization's positions, military centers and camps, as well as on national holidays and celebrations.

After the defeat in the Six-Day War in 1967, the Palestinian people were given space for a guerrilla war against Israel. This forced the Palestine Liberation Organization to free itself from Arab hegemony and strengthen the position of the Palestinian flag.

On November 15, 1988, the Palestinian flag became a symbol of the Palestinian state, which was unilaterally proclaimed by Yasser Arafat.