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MONARCHIST FLAG OF ISRAEL
The Provisional Council of State
Proclamation of the Flag of the State of Israel
The Provisional Council of State hereby proclaims that the flag of the State of Israel shall be as illustrated and described below:
The flag is 220 cm. long and 160 cm. wide. The background is white and on it are two stripes of dark sky-blue, 25 cm. broad, over the whole length of the flag, at a distance of 15 cm. from the top and from the bottom of the flag. In the middle of the white background, between the two blue stripes and at equal distance from each stripe is a Star of David, composed of six dark sky-blue stripes, 5.5 cm. broad, which form two equilateral triangles, the bases of which are parallel to the two horizontal stripes.
25 Tishrei 5709 (28 October 1948)
Provisional Council of State
Joseph Sprinzak, Speaker
Addendum: Resting centrally by two points 40 cm apart on the uppermost horizontal stripe of the Star of of David is the Holy Crown of David, a concave gold circlet with five visible rays in which are interlaced two intertwined circlets of thorns, the Crown fitted with arches supporting an orb beneath a cross patte extending 44cm above the said horizontal stripe and fastened to the orb by a silver circlet.
EXPLANATION:
The Star of David
The Magen David (properly the Shield of David) is traditionally deemed to be the symbol of the founder of the ruling Royal House, though in fact there is little or no evidence to prove its use as such among Jews even as far back as the time of Christ. Nevertheless, it has acquired universal significance as the symbol of the Jews as a distinct people before God.
The Blue Stripes on a White Backround
The blue stripes on the Zionist flag were inspired by the stripes on the tallit (prayer shawl). They have a religious significance not found in the Magen David and are considered to be the colors of ritual purity symbolizing the spirituality of the Jewish people. White is also the traditional colour of monarchist movements. In Christian symbolism white stands for the innocence of Christ, while blue is the colour of piety.
MONARCHIST FLAG OF PALESTINE
Sharif Hussein designed what is now the Palestinian flag as the flag of the Arab Revolt in June 1916. It was adopted as the flag of the Arab National movement in 1917. On 1 October 1948 the All-Palestine Government readopted it at Gaza. The Arab League subsequently recognized it as the flag of the Palestinian people. It was finally endorsed by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation at Jerusalem in 1964.
The flag is twice the length of its width, a tricolour of horizontal stripes in black, white and green, on which is superimposed a red triangle in the hoist. These colours had been chosen by a group of young Arabs at a meeting in the Literary Club in Istanbul.
Addendum: In the centre of the flag is the Holy Crown of David, a concave gold circlet the base of which at lowest points is of width 17 per cent of the length of the flag and 87 per cent of its own height, with five visible rays in which are interlaced two intertwined circlets of thorns, the Crown fitted with arches supporting an orb beneath a cross patte fastened to it by a silver circlet.
EXPLANATION:
Red:
Originally the colour of the Khwarij party, red was the colour of the Arab tribes who participated in the conquest of North Africa and Andalusia. It was later adopted by the Islamic rulers of Andalusia (756-1355). Today it is the colour of the Ashrafs of the Hejaz and the Hashemites, the ruling family of Jordan and formerly of Iraq.
Black:
In pre-Islamic times, the black flag was a sign of revenge and of war. The Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258) took black in mourning for the assassination of relatives of Mohammad and in remembrance of the Battle of Karbala.
White:
The Umayyad Dynasty (661-750) adopted white as their symbolic (and mourning) colour as a reminder of Mohammad's first battle at Badr. White is today also the colour of monarchist movements.
Green:
The Fatimid Dynasty, which once ruled all of North Africa, took green as their colour in allegiance to Mohammad's cousin Ali, who was once disguised in a green coverlet in order to evade an attempt on his life.
White are our deeds, black are our battles,
Green are our fields, red are our knives.
(Safi al-Din al-Hili, poet)
SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF FLAG COLOURS FOR PALESTINIANS
The decades-long occupation by Israel of lands populated almost exclusively by Palestinian Arabs, the harsh and restrictive conditions imposed by the Israeli Military Government on the general population, and the deaths and injuries caused in the armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinians have given the colours of the Palestinian flag a new and unique significance.
Black represents the occupation; white stands for innocence and freedom; green represents the land; and red the blood of the slain innocents.
With the addition of the Holy Crown of David, the Palestinian flag acquires a remarkable Christological significance.
Black represents the sin, death and spiritual darkness from which Christ came to save mankind, and also recalls the debt-bondage, slavery and landlessness from which the people in ancient times were released at the time of the periodic Jubilee, which it was the office of the King to proclaim.
White represents the innocence of Christ the Lamb of God.
Red represents the Blood of Christ, the price of our redemption.
Green represents the sovereign rights of Christ the King over the land.
The Holy Crown of David is set on the white band to signify that it is settled forever on Christ. It stands beneath the black band to signify that that Christ submitted Himself to death for the sake of sinners. It stands above the green band to signify that Christ is the absolute Master and paramount overlord of the land, which He gives to whomever He will.
The red triangle in the hoist, to the side of the Crown, represents the blood that flowed from His pierced side as He hung on the Cross.
The Holy Crown of David
The Crown is added to both flags by Crown of David, which commends it to all Israelis and Palestinians of Christian (Messianic) faith as the emblem of their allegiance to the King, to be displayed in recognition and honour of His Majesty. The circlet and its rays resemble the crowns known or thought to have been worn by Middle Eastern kings in ancient times. The orb beneath the cross signifies that the whole world is subject to the power and empire of Christ the King. The crown of thorns signifies His victory over sin and death.
FLAG ETIQUETTE
The Monarchist Flags displayed on this website are intended to be treated as variants of national flags and are subject to the general guidelines observed by the nations as to display including, in the case of the Flag of Israel, the country's Flag Legislation. In case of conflict with the following, the law of Israel prevails.
All flags hoisted as a group should be of the same width, and each should be hoisted on its own flagpole or halyard.
If a flag is displayed in the open it should be hoisted briskly at sunrise and lowered ceremoniously at sunset, but it should not be displayed in bad weather. It may be displayed at night as long as it is well illuminated.
A flag should always be treated with respect and should never touch the ground, the floor or water. It should never be carried flat and horizontally, and should never be used as a wrapper or receptable for any article.
The Monarchist Flag of Israel should not in Israel be displayed in a position inferior to any other national flag; likewise the Monarchist Flag of Palestine when displayed in areas subject to the Palestinian Authority. When flown with the flags of other sovereign nations, all flags should be flown on flagpoles of the same size. Flags should be of the same size or width, and should fly at the same height. Outside both Israel and the Palestinian Authority areas these Monarchist Flags should be displayed in alphabetical order according to the official language of the host country.
When any two flags are displayed or crossed with one another, the national flag must be placed to the left of the observer and its staff should be in front of the foreign flag.
In a line of three flags the national flag takes the central position.
In a line of four flags the national flag must be placed first to the left of the observer.
In a line of five or more flags two national flags must be placed in the line, one at each end.
When flags are arranged in a semicircle the national flag should be in the centre; if arranged in a circle it should be placed immediately opposite the main entrance to the venue.
The national flag always takes precedence over the flags of non-sovereign public authorities.
When carried in procession, the national flag should always be carried aloft and must fly freely, and must always lead when carried in single file. When carried in line abreast it must always be carried on the right of the line facing the direction of movement, and therefore to the left of any observer facing the procession. When carried with two or more flags, it should be in the centre, or else a national flag should be displayed at the end of each line.
A national flag on a yardarm must be displayed either on the vertical pole above the yardarm itself or beneath it and to the left of the observer.
When displayed over the middle of a street a flag should be displayed vertically, with the top edge to the north in an east-west street or to the east in a north-south street.
When displayed vertically on a flagpole with a crossbar, the upper edge of the flag is to be on the left of the observer. When displayed vertically on a flagpole with a swivel crossbar, the upper edge should face the flagpole.
When displayed from a staff on a speaker's platform, the national flag should be on his right.
When used to cover a coffin, a flag should be placed with the hoist at the head and the top edge over the left shoulder.
A national flag on a flagpole should be flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning. A black ribbon is attached to a flag on short outrigger staffs and a black cravat to military parade flags.
A flag which has become unusable should be destroyed in a dignified way by burning it privately.
(SOURCE: A Znamierowski, The World Encyclopedia of Flags Hermes House, 2002)
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