r/vexillology • u/theshinystunfisk • Apr 21 '26
OC My take on an Israel Palestine flag
Blue representing the Jewish population, Green the Muslim population and a golden sapling representing peace. Something to the effect of "Levantine Republic" to avoid specific religious naming or symbols. Inspired by the Irish and Cypriot flags.
551
u/Wormfeathers Apr 21 '26
Tbh, It works
446
u/I_like_maps Canada • Spain (1936) Apr 21 '26
Unlike the state itself which would collapse in 10 seconds
260
u/OneSaltyStoat Apr 21 '26
But it would be the most wholesome 10 seconds the Levant has seen in centuries.
→ More replies (2)71
u/veerKg_CSS_Geologist Apr 22 '26
The Levant was not particularly violent prior to the 19th century. Mostly an economic backwater.
39
8
u/Sir-Viette Apr 24 '26
On the other hand, here is a list of pogroms against Jews that happened from 1830 onwards.
→ More replies (41)5
u/LowBatteryHuman Apr 24 '26
This text is highly biased in its writing style, and does not provide citations for textual quotations that it makes. Furthermore, the author makes use of almost only secondary sources, which wouldn’t be a problem if it did cite them correctly.
Smells like propaganda
→ More replies (10)3
u/Sir-Viette Apr 24 '26
Are you denying the pogroms?
→ More replies (1)5
u/LowBatteryHuman Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
No, I’m pointing out that it’s not a list, but a propaganda piece.
→ More replies (12)→ More replies (7)4
u/Due_Investigator_700 Apr 24 '26
lol there were regular pogroms against Jews what are you on
→ More replies (1)33
u/AffeAhoi Apr 21 '26
This is completely true and not even funny but for some reason it made me laugh hard. Thanks!
8
5
→ More replies (2)3
→ More replies (1)25
u/Illustrious-Fish8779 Apr 21 '26
It would collapse faster then a united Balkan nation
18
u/Snoo63 Apr 21 '26
All that needed was Tito and criminalising homophobia.
3
u/CalvinKool-Aid Apr 22 '26
Honestly the only time communism worked, because he effectively made the people more loyal to the nation than their ethnicity. Of course it all fell apart after he was gone but Tito is the one chill communist in my book
22
u/Sanguine_Caesar Apr 22 '26
It falling apart after he was gone actually makes him look worse imo: it shows he completely failed to build the kinds of institutions that could allow the country to stay together and resist the rise of nationalist strongmen after he died. A personality cult is no basis for a system of government.
8
u/CalvinKool-Aid Apr 22 '26
Eh, however many years of peace is better than no peace at all. I agree a personality cult is not a GOOD government, but it can be effective in short term. I’m sure the people at the time were just glad to not be at war
3
u/veerKg_CSS_Geologist Apr 22 '26
All countries can fall apart within a couple of years. It’s got nothing to do with institutions. Also Tito didn’t have a personality cult.
→ More replies (1)2
171
u/Hokuopio Apr 21 '26
This is the first Israel x Palestine theoretical flag I’ve really liked. Well done!
189
117
55
u/Void-Cooking_Berserk Apr 21 '26
I like it. Simple, elegant, and expressive. Thank you for sharing.
72
u/RandomFrenchGuy10 Quebec Apr 21 '26
This... works
This is impossible they never work
WHY WHY DOES IT WORK
THEYRE ALWAYS BAD WHYYYY
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHJHHHHH
59
9
u/lokey_convo Apr 22 '26
Sometimes you have to give the wrong answer to goad someone into producing the right one (or at least a better one).
36
u/BitterSweet_102 Apr 21 '26
Cascadia core (rly pretty) 💙🤍💚
→ More replies (1)1
u/Snek0Freedom Apr 23 '26
Unfortunately not quite, Cascadia's tricolors are horizontal, this being vertical looks closer to a flag that claims the same region with way worse views
58
u/8_green_potatoes Apr 21 '26
I like the design. But I would go for secular meanings. Green should be for Arab rather than “Muslims”, as Palestinian Arabs are not only Muslims.
9
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
good point! it works much better and can do away with other questions like "what about the christains or druze" which while important, are one of the harder things to answer with a flag. thank you!
→ More replies (5)16
u/Snoo63 Apr 21 '26
Before the Nakba, for example, there were around 136,000 Christians.
→ More replies (22)
12
27
u/boi-Beginning-2055 Greece Apr 21 '26
The design is simple but yet his Soo Beautiful Man, Thanks to share it!
11
10
u/Red-Flag-Potemkin Apr 22 '26
A theoretical southern levant flag shouldnt be based on the identity of the people.
Lebanon has basically the best flag in the world because they aren’t pandering to the different groups.
Give me a flag with a Hamsa on it.
3
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
Good idea! I think I pulled a lot from the Irish flag; which is one I quite like a lot, but I can see how its problematic, thank you for your comment!
34
u/orqa Apr 21 '26
Looks nice!
I wonder how it'd look like with the leaves reshaped to be a bit longer and thinner, to resemble olive tree leaves. 🫒🫒🫒
6
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
Great idea! I wanted to go for simple but I def think an olive motif can be super easily implemented into a future design!
→ More replies (1)5
11
u/VirtualKnowledge7057 Apr 22 '26
on one hand, nice flag, i do like it quite a bit.
on the other hand, as much as i hate to say if this actually happened
37
u/Horizon206 Apr 21 '26
Israeli here, really like the design! Maybe one day 🙏
→ More replies (1)1
u/YeeAssBonerPetite Apr 25 '26
Based. I also like it despite the obvious problem in the middle.
Blue White Green tricolour would go hard tho.
25
u/V-Rator Apr 21 '26
Impressively symbolic and effective, and super simple to draw from memory. Kudos, this is a great flag. Hope we will get to see it fly sometime soon.
3
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
Thank you! I appreciate it, having it easily drawable or recognizable is a huge part of good flag design in my opinion!
→ More replies (1)
7
u/Kubaj_CZ Czechia • Bohemia Apr 21 '26
Tbh I would rather not base it on anything religious. Symbols that are based on specific religions like this don't represent other people well, whether it is irreligious people or people with different faiths.
The name should probably be something else. The Levant is a bigger region than just Palestine/Israel.
Still an interesting idea though
1
1
u/Effective-Ad5050 Apr 23 '26
Republic of the southern levant. The United States of the levant. The United Levantine republic
→ More replies (2)
8
u/AaronIncognito Apr 22 '26
This is actually really good. It evokes the cedar on the flag of another multi-faith nation in the region (Lebanon), and it kiiinda evokes a menorah? It would evoke it more if the olive branch had nine leaves
Edit: it’s a shame that Lebanon is currently being Gaza’d by as we speak
→ More replies (1)3
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
I was inspired by the lebanese flag too! I ought to have included that in the post, I mostly put cyprus as its where I pulled the color from and earlier design pulled from the "lets put the whole nation on the flag" thing Cyprus has going on
→ More replies (1)
4
u/dust-and-disquiet Apr 23 '26
It's really not that simple. People who were violently evicted under the nakba need their land back. Then you can actually even think about anything forward. Historical crimes cannot be erased. But I understand it's from goodwill, it's just that it feels a bit shallow.
→ More replies (2)
6
u/MrGulo-gulo Thessaloniki • South Africa Apr 21 '26
This is the only design for this that works. All the ones that have all 3 religious symbols mushed together are always awful.
3
3
u/Iceborn_Gauntlet Apr 22 '26
A good design for a state that will implode harder than that Ocean Gate sub
3
u/dyslechtchitect Apr 22 '26
Israeli here, choked me up honestly, beautiful idea.
→ More replies (1)
5
u/Liathbeanna Socialism Apr 22 '26
I love this, but maybe an olive branch or olive tree would be a better symbol for peace. It'd also have the added symbolism of representing the people's relationship with the land, since olive trees and olive production are very common in the region.
2
2
Apr 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
Maybe? I lurk here a bit so I definitely won't rule out being inspired by other designs, but then again tricolors are a common motif!
2
u/SwissForeignPolicy Apr 21 '26
I like it. Despite the blue-white-green color scheme, it doesn't look like your local township parks & rec department's new flag. It's visually distinctive, symbolically meaningful without being based on either country's existing flag, and most importantly for this sub, it actually looks like a flag, not a sticker or app icon.
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Emolohtrab Paris Commune • Zaporizhia Oblast Apr 22 '26
Really cool and efficient. But the christian minority is a little bit forgotten I thing. Maybe it can be the white ?
2
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
As I've learned from this comment section I really should've done better thinking about that, so maybe! Though some others have also recommended focusing the symbolism more on the people rather than the religion, though saying "Arabs" then causes the same problem as not including the Circassians... its a tricky problem and one I probably could've thought about a bit more in the design process
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Sanguine_Caesar Apr 22 '26
Great design! I wonder what it would look like with a Jaffa orange in the middle instead of an olive branch though.
2
2
2
2
u/0_Juro_0 Apr 22 '26
Interesting and cool design. Have you tried to flip the green and blue?
2
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
I did! I liked the blue on the left edge more, not really sure why, maybe its because of the French flag? But I think both could work, just a bias of the maker!
2
2
u/BanditNoble Apr 22 '26
Once again proving that the simplest designs are the most effective. This looks amazing.
I'm glad you didn't do what most people seem to do and just stick a bunch of religious symbols on it. Letting the colours speak for themselves is great. I especially love how the white could be a colour of peace, but it could also represent Christianity (white and purple are the two most common colours to represent Christianity)
→ More replies (1)
2
u/polishedrelish Apr 22 '26
I like it. Seen many designs like this and I'm convinced it's the way to go
2
u/MKVD_FR Montréal • Paris Apr 22 '26
Pairs well with Lebanon! But maybe an olive leaf could be good too? Since it’s a very local plant? Would a dove holding an olive branch be too corny?
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Cautious-Patient3131 Apr 22 '26
האמת שזה חמוד.
עצוב שזה פשוט לא יכול שלא להיראות נאיבי, אבל ממש אהבתי 🩷.
→ More replies (7)
2
u/Known_Week_158 Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
That's already better than most proposals automatically. A unified state is never going to happen - it would require such a massive shift in national, regional, and global politics and events which I doubt would ever happen, but if it did, this is a good starting point.
Having religious symbols, elements of current flags, and country names in it would doom a proposal from the start, and what's what a lot of ideas I've seen have. It needs to be something like this - the flag has to have some symbolism, but keeping it as neutral as possible.
I also think a Levantine Confederation would fit better, just because any unification would have to be as devolved as humanly possible. It'd also make sense to add in more colours to represent other ethnic groups. The Green should either represent Palestinian Arabs as a whole or if it's meant to be each religious group gets an equal share of the flag, there'd need to be a Christian and Druze elements.
2
u/Edwiyyin Apr 22 '26
Instead of the branch put a olive tree representing both culture (the burning tree and the olive origin)
2
2
u/Noam92 Apr 24 '26
Good to have the only one existing jewish state erased of its hebrew identity, just to have another muslim one. Were so short of muslim ethno states so yeah
And with a less cynical comment - im all in for peace and sharing this land, but we wont give up our identity, ever. It was perserved for thousands of years.
Im against one state. Only two states is viable
2
5
u/nagidon Hong Kong • PLARF Apr 22 '26
Palestine is already the neutral name. It can be Eretz Israel in Hebrew for those who speak it.
→ More replies (6)
6
u/VastOpinion6020 Apr 21 '26
Obviously this could never happen as there would be instant war and massacres, but if there was some kind of joint Israeli Arab peace board, this could be its flag
5
4
u/Iron166 Apr 21 '26
What about Christians?
21
u/Wormfeathers Apr 21 '26
White and golden are the colour of Christianity Islam Green Judaism Blue
5
11
→ More replies (8)3
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
Hi! I didn't say anything about it because I hadn't thought about it, which is certainly a failing on my part that I will recognize if I end up doing another design of this flag (with an olive tree for example). You could say the white or gold are the representative, but when I was designing it I certainly failed to take that into account, thank you for your comment!
→ More replies (1)
2
u/ImpressiveEnergy4762 Ukraine Apr 21 '26
Then where are Druze, Christians, Circassians?
1
u/theshinystunfisk Apr 22 '26
I've heard this a lot and I will say it is a failing of my design, especially with attributing the more direct religious meaning, I'm sure there is a better way to include them but I wasn't thinking open-minded enough to decide that. Thank you for bringing this to my attention and commenting!
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/AnointedUltio Apr 22 '26
This state would work.
An international government ran by the UN, Right of return, and the persecution of IDF and Israeli government and This state would work.
2
u/Stek02 Apr 22 '26
There is no reason why Palestine shouldn't be an arab republic when all of it's legitimate inhabitants are arabs (jewish arabs included)
2
u/DavidJoelRosen Apr 23 '26
Too bad Palestinians will never accept a single Jew living in Judea.
3
u/CarmenDeFelice Apr 24 '26
What are you talking about there were always jewish Palestinians since way before the israeli project was even conceived.
→ More replies (3)
3
u/Brisingr2 Apr 21 '26
I’ve always had a similar idea for a United Palestine flag, with this exact tricolor, except specifically with an olive branch for peace. Great work!
→ More replies (1)
2
1
1
1
1
u/braylikesFoxes Kentucky • Greek Revolutionary Flag (Kolokotronis… Apr 22 '26
Middle Eastern Cascadia. also could be named the Republic of Phonecia
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/HadarReg Apr 22 '26
Using an olive tree as a common nominator is actually really smart. It's culturally important for both, and represents peace.
1
1
u/eduadelarosa Apr 22 '26
It is an amazing flag. I'll just add that Canaanean Republic would be a little more specific to the geography. It is also worth noting that the modern Greek-derived term Palestine is possibly an amalgam of the transliteration of Philistia (Peleset) and the etymological meaning of Israel (One who struggles/wrestles -with El).
Per Jacobson 1999, p. 65-67: "In the earliest Classical literature references to Palestine generally applied to the Land of Israel in the wider sense. A reappraisal of this question has given rise to the proposition that the name Palestine, in its Greek form Palaistine, was both a transliteration of a word used to describe the land of the Philistines and, at the same time, a literal translation of the name Israel. This dual interpretation reconciles apparent contradictions in early definitions of the name Palaistine and is compatible with the Greeks' penchant for punning, especially on place names."
1
u/curb-stomp-a-tankie Apr 22 '26
I like this one, I always preferred the “dark gold on white” style like Cyprus, really gives off a Mediterranean style. If not the sapling, an olive branch would also be fitting, since they represent peace, reconciliation and the end of conflict
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Geahk Apr 23 '26
This is genuinely good. I saw an Olive branch in the golden leaves, which I think is fitting on multiple levels. Good, simple, evocative design.
1
u/Status-Tax836 Apr 23 '26
my only critique is that the tricolor evokes a european style banner, which doesn't make much sense considering both groups have a history of struggle against european colonialism
1
u/CharlesOberonn Apr 23 '26
I like the deisng. It's a bit generic but at least it's not an attempt to frankenstein the two current flags together.
1
1
u/Old-Card6098 Apr 23 '26
The green doesn’t blend correctly you should make it red and remove the weird tree in the middle
1
u/talibatsadaasmashula Apr 23 '26
nah its Palestine not Levantine republic not another made up name! its Palestine a one Palestinian state where all who are peaceful live together in harmony and no zionists or extremists allowed.
→ More replies (2)
1
1
1
1
u/Osleg Apr 23 '26
Make it an olive tree sapling, it sacred for both sides and means peace and prosperity for both sides :)
1
1
u/MongooseVegetable787 Israel Apr 23 '26
I don't like that plant
Salvia Palistina is a better choice that has great symbolical connection, being the origin of the image of the burning bush and also endemic in the region.
A common lowly plant with great meaning.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/dancedragon25 Apr 24 '26
I'd also go for an olive branch, which could represent both peace and a national food staple
1
u/Even-Monk-4985 Apr 24 '26
OP, in your opinion what could be interpreted if green+blue= Turquoise colour were used? And how it will affect the country?
1
u/CarmenDeFelice Apr 24 '26
This is annoyingly tasteful. I don’t like the concept behind it but can tell its thoughtful and well meaning
1
1
u/Y4GZ1 Apr 24 '26
What about the christian population tho? Is it actually a "muslim land" or is it maded up to be one? Loads of people gonna hate it but idc i ask the real questions
1
1
u/warriorlynx Apr 24 '26
This is what could’ve been if the Brits decided in the 1920s or so to create a United Palestine as a commonwealth country
1
u/ScarPsychological734 Apr 24 '26
Now I don’t see the two populations uniting in the next century without absolutely trying to destroy each other, but damn that is a good flag. Somehow, it actually gives me hope for peace, even though that sounds ridiculous. Props to you!
1
1
u/Awkward_Cash1828 Apr 25 '26
Looks similar to the flag for "Republic of Canaan" I made some months ago. I think I'll share it.
1
1
u/lylaspya Apr 25 '26
From an Israeli perspective (ignoring the political and logistic nightmare of actually making that sort of state), I don’t think either Israelis or Arabs want a flag that looks like a European country, we both have quite old flag-style conventions. for Arabs the pan-Arab movement making most flags of the Middle East including the Palestinian one is very popular, for Israelis our flag is based on the colours of the Tallit combined with the 13th century flag of the Jewish community of Prague. I think if in the future any binational or single-state situation is achieved both populations would continue to fly our respective flags, optimistically side by side. Sorry my English is kinda shit haha but I hope this explains it
1
u/Global_Ad6787 Apr 25 '26
Reminds me of the symbolism of the Irish flag. Orange for Protestants, green for Catholics, and white for peace. I also wouldn't be surprised if it ended up like Ireland in our timeline...
1
1
1
u/Free_Wrongdoer5371 Apr 25 '26
NO FLAG CAN CURE OCTOBER 7th AND THE PALESTINIAN’S DEATH WISH TO ISRAEL.
If you’re not an Israeli, keep yourself out of this matter, you don’t even realize how dumb you look.
1
u/Free_Wrongdoer5371 Apr 25 '26
What Israeli values does this flag represent? Because the original Israeli flag is about the Jewish identity.
Another question, what makes Palestinians - Palestinians? (Facts pls, not emotions)
1
u/YeeAssBonerPetite Apr 25 '26
"You cant make a more useless flag than canada"
Theshinystunfisk: hold my beer
1
u/maoroh Apr 25 '26
Blue needs to be lighter, instead of a sapling put and olive branch, it has much more significant meaning to the region.
1
u/DramaticKvothe Apr 25 '26
Will it be after the palastinians will try to eradicate the jewish population?
1
1
u/That_Minimum_244 Apr 25 '26
Brilliant! the Jewish blue and white and the Islamic jihadist "slaughter all the Jews" green. What could possibly go wrong?...
A piece Nobel for you sir!
Ps. Yes I'm aware that the green in the flag is supposed to symbolize something else but that honestly doesn't matter. Green and white are the shahda colours.
Not to mention that shouldn't the sapling be of an indigenous plant? Like you know... maybe the thing the area was known for at the last 3000 years?
1
u/CustomerUnhappy7569 Apr 25 '26
I'm afraid this conversation is a bit too early or premature. I mean good vision but ....
1
1
u/itaifein Apr 25 '26
Very nice flag, but there no shot that we are giving up the Star of David. Maybe add it along side the star and crescent?
1
u/Emotional-Topic-8378 Apr 25 '26
There's no Ikhrael, there's one land called Palestine
→ More replies (1)
1
u/GoonerBoomer69 Apr 26 '26
Automatic point deduction for a tricolor, but otherwise this is genuinely a good flag.
1
u/Puzzleheaded-Dark780 Apr 26 '26
Westerners continually want to impose their “solutions” without soliciting the opinions of the people who actually live there. Polls in both Israel and Palestine show little support for a one state solution.
1
u/JlREN Apr 27 '26
Israeli here, really love the design, simple, pretty colors with deep meaning and very representive. Maybe one day, peace will settle. I'd wish to see it before I die.
1
409
u/EmptyRook United States • Ireland Apr 21 '26
Okay this is the first one in a long time I’ve liked props