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Other political flags (Israel)

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Last modified: 2024-09-07 by martin karner
Keywords: israel |
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"Israel is strong" (Yisrael Hazaka)

['Israel is Strong' Flag] image by Zachary Harden and Mark Sensen

A one sided plastic flag, with the Hebrew word Yisrael on the upper stripe and the Hebrew word Hazaka (strong) on the lower stripe to make the slogan Israel (is) Strong. I only saw one flag like that, on a car, even though it was not home-made.
Dov Gutterman
, 17 December 2001


"State of Judea" Movement (Medinat Yehuda, flag used ca. 1989)

['State of Judea' Movement Flag] image by Ivan Sache, modified by Dov Gutterman

In the Flags of Aspirant Peoples 1994 chart appears "27. Judea (State of, 1989) (West Bank, Judea & Samaria) – Israel". Similar to the national flag, but the Magen David is replaced by six blue triangles forming a kind of dislocated Magen David, shifted to the hoist. The upper right triangle includes a white menorah, the lower left triangle includes something not identified (it reminds me some ritual object, but I am not able to say more – a talith maybe?). There is something written in Hebrew between the hoist and the lower part of emblem.
Ivan Sache
, 13 September 1999

Well, it took me some time to figure it out, but what is supposed to be written there is Gur arie Yehuda (Juda [is a] Lion cub).
Dov Gutterman
, 14 September 1999

[This flag is] not in use. It was in use just for a very short period by a very small group of right-wing settlers as a protest against the government. I do not think that they took it too seriously (at least no other one did) and it did not impress the government so this episode was soon to be over. I would not call them aspirant people.
Dov Gutterman
, 14 December 2000

The symbol on the bottom left is a head of a lion, as in the inscription, which is blue as well. I happen to own this flag. The State is a project, of sorts, of followers of the late Rabbi(s) Kahane, whose usual symbol, a fist over a Star of David is illegal in Israel. However, while the idea of the State, never officially declared as far as I know, is still mentioned (ironically by some left-wingers as well), the flag seems to have fallen into disuse.
Nathan G. Lamm
, 4 June 2001

In fact there is a movement (State of Judea Independence Movement) that still exists that aims to set up a Jewish state in Judea and Samaria if their homeland is transferred to the Palestinian Arabs.
Gary Selikow
, 8 February 2002

The correct State of Judea flag (as shown above) does exist. I own one, professionally made (My mother actually bought it for me, years ago, mistaking it for an Israeli flag – little did she know that I would know exactly what it was. I think I got Kach and Kahane Chai flags at about the same time). The movement is mostly a Kahanist idea, but they have their own flags that they use, neglecting this one (again, the real one). I have never seen it at Kahanist meetings or rallies, not even in pictures of the Congress of the State of Judea. The idea has also not been mentioned in a while, especially as Kahanists have grudgingly gone along with their (involuntary) removal from politics, now focusing their energies elsewhere. Some left-wing columnists have suggested it, perhaps only half-seriously, but that is all.

Some differences between the above image and the flag I own:

  1. The star is closer to the fly, lying entirely to the right of the center line. Also, the colors are a darker blue, with central devices darker still. (It seems the flag was simply two stripes, with the center stuff added later. Is this common in Israel – two-stripe flags with an empty center are made so any central image can be added?) The triangles are closer together, and the menorah goes up to the edges of its triangle.
  2. The legend is blue, in a bit more fancier font. It is followed by elipses (diamond-shaped "..."), and there are double quotation marks around it (above left and right).
  3. The lower left image is a lion's head profile, pointing right, tongue out slightly.

Nathan Lamm, 9 and 12 February 2002

Following Kahana idea of Medinat Yehuda, the state was declared in 1989 by Michael Ben-Horin who was also nominated as its president. This idea was never materialized, but it pop up in few occasions later on, last time in 2004 following PM Sharon severing plan.
Dov Gutterman, 27 July 2007

Mistakenly reported flag

[Mistakenly reported flag, 'State of Judea' Movement(Israel)]
image from this website, modified by Santiago Dotor

The flag of the State of Judea Independence Movement can be found at this website.
Gary Selikow
, 8 February 2002

The flag on that website is clearly a clipart image, certainly not based on a flag and, considering that another one exists, probably never made.
Nathan Lamm
, 9 February 2002


Black protest flag

image by Tomislav Todorovic

Since 2019 the Israeli "Black Flag Movement" has sought the removal from office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
William Garrison, 9 January 2021

Flags derived from Israeli national flag by replacing blue and white colors with white and black, respectively were used by the participants of the rally in Tel Aviv on 2019-05-25, which was organized as the protest against the then government's proposed legislation which would grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity from prosecution over corruption charges, as well as radically limit the powers of the Supreme Court, the latter being considered as an effort to prevent any similar future prosecutions.
The photos from the rally can be viewed here:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/at-tel-aviv-rally-turkeys-erdogan-and-the-handmaids-tale-loom-large/
(image: https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2019/05/000_1GX42Z.jpg)
and here:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/protesters-gather-for-mass-rally-to-safeguard-israeli-democracy-from-netanyahu/
(image: https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2019/05/F190525TNFF09-640x400.jpg)
Tomislav Todorovic, 5 January 2020

image located by William Garrison

source: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/04/israel-benjamin-netanyahu-benny-gantz-knesset-black-flag.html
Protesters wearing masks wave Israeli and black flags as a sign of protest, during a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's caretaker government, accusing it of undemocratic measures, outside the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 25, 2020.
William Garrison, 9 January 2021

image located by William Garrison

The second photo shows a different black flag with white lettering in Hebrew.
Anti-Netanyahu protesters at Havatzelet Hasharon Junction, Saturday, December 12, 2020.
source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/black-fag-movement-to-gantz-time-has-come-to-replace-netanyahu-651899
William Garrison, 9 January 2021

I am not so certain that this is really a flag – could be just a demonstration poster. However, note also the pink flags carried by some of the protesters, seemingly plain, but there's another photo in the same page:
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/black-fag-movement-to-gantz-time-has-come-to-replace-netanyahu-651899, which reveals a black inscription on yellow background, diagonally oriented (a label, perhaps) in top fly corner:
https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/t_Article2016_ControlFaceDetect/467874

More photos of pink flags, also plain:
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-anti-netanyahu-protests-resume-as-thousands-take-to-streets-across-israel-1.9277285
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-anti-netanyahu-protesters-mark-six-months-of-weekly-demonstrations-1.9385078
https://www.alamy.com/in-a-futile-attempt-to-stop-the-mounting-protests
https://www.alamy.com/29-sep-2020-anti-corruption-protest
https://www.alamy.com/jerusalem-israel-september-29-a-protester
https://www.alamy.com/29-sep-2020-anti-corruption-protest-against-prime-minister and of a pink flag with black inscription, possibly the same as the white inscription on black flag/poster in William's image:

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-undeterred-by-stormy-weather-anti-netanyahu-protests-continue-1.9321184

Plain pink flag is currently presented at the FOTW-ws as an LGBT symbol, with no verified use in Israel, where it is now clearly used in a different capacity.

Several photos of plain pink flags and one photo of a pink flag/poster with black inscription, identical typeface as in William's image:
https://fr.timesofisrael.com/18e-semaine-des-rassemblements-anti-netanyahu-dans-tout-le-pays

More photos of pink flags and a pink poster with the said inscription in black:
https://www.alamy.com/israelis-protest-against-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahus-alleged-corruption-and-the-economic-hardship-stemming-from-the-coronavirus-disease-covid-19-crisis-amid-israels-second-nationwide-lockdown-in-tel-aviv-israel-october-8-2020-reutersamir-cohen-image381002242.html

https://www.alamy.com/2102020-tel-aviv-israel-protest-against-prime-minister-netanyahu-and-second-coronavirus-lockdown-early-stages-of-the-protest-in-which-hundreds-were-marching-in-tel-aviv-streets-calling-bibi-netanyahu-to-resign-the-pink-flags-symbolize-the-weakened-populations-grace-empathy-had-become-the-youth-symbol-of-what-they-see-as-the-revolution-image379766007.html

Tomislav Todorovic, 9 January 2021


image located by William Garrison

The third bottom photo shows a black-white Israeli flag instead of the usual blue-white national flag.
Protesters wave a black flag, an Israeli flag and an Israeli flag with the colors inverted, outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on March 19, 2020.
source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/demonstrators-protest-knesset-closure-scuffle-with-police-in-jerusalem/
William Garrison, 9 January 2021


Pink protest flags

  images by Tomislav Todorovic

At https://www.usnews.com/news/ an image shows an Israeli flag with pink instead of blue. The caption states, "Members of "The Pink Front," a group of protesters demanding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down over corruption allegations, hold white/pink-colored Israeli flags (instead of the usual white/blue colors) during a weekly anti-Netanyahu demonstration, in Jerusalem" (October 24, 2020. REUTERS/Corinna Ker).
A pink display that has now become iconic for the protest was the re-enactment of the Ink Flag hoisting, a major event of Israel's Independence War, when Israeli soldiers raised a homemade flag after reaching the shores of the Red Sea.
William Garrison, 22 July 2021

More photos of plain pink flags and Israeli flags with pink instead of blue:
https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rkmreDaeO
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/anti-netanyahu-protest
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/anti-netanyahu-protest
https://www.facebook.com/pg/thepinkflag/photos/?ref=page_internal

The shade of pink seems to vary somewhat, although those variations seem to be partly caused by the varying conditions under which the photos were taken. Also, the repainted Israeli flags seem to be more oblong than the actual national flag.

Tomislav Todorovic, 25 July 2021

In the wake of the current Israel-Hamas war, a picture is seen featuring the Israeli flag and instead of the Star of David, it features a heart, all in pink. In this context, it refers to abused Israeli women in Hamas' captivity. [The flag was used as a protest flag on a demonstration against Prime Minister Netanyahu and far-right members of his coalition on January 6, 2024 (source). See also Pink Heart Israel Flag (Abused Israeli women)]
Esteban Rivera, 6 January 2024


"B B" Netanyahu promotional flag (or banner?)

[B B Netanyahu] image located by William Garrison

Flag/banner depicting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin ("Bibi") Netanyahu, showed on a supporters' rally in Jerusalem on 20 April 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)
Hebrew inscriptions: "Hero of Israel" / "Together with you the whole way" (source, picture)
located by William Garrison, 9 March 2023

Marchers wave a flag displaying Benjamin Netanyahu's image in Jerusalem, Israel on April 20, 2022. "King of Israel" in English. Atop the picture of Netanyahu are the English letters: "B B" which obviously is a play on his nickname "Bibi" – at least when pronounced in English. This looks more like a flag than a banner, but I'm not too sure.
William Garrison, 9 March 2023

I think it was 2001 at the ICV in York, England, that I sat in on a session for flagmakers. They were aghast at the concept of printing images on flags – a flag can't be a flag if it can't be sewn was the core message. One printer from France was demonstrating gradient fill across a flag from true blue to a strong green and the howls of protest from other flagmakers could be heard in London, I swear! Of course, printed flags were on the market long, long before 2001, but the practice was to ensure that a flag could only be a flag if you could conceive of it being sewn from pieces of fabric. 18th and 19th Century painted flags were carefully avoided in that discussion!
My point is that 22 years ago, this would have been an advertising banner. Today it might be produced by the thousands and paraded through the streets by supporters (or burned by opponents!) The boundary between flags and banners has blurred. I would call this one a promotional flag, serving the purpose to rally supporters, promote Netanyahu, and simply recognise the cause. Pete Loeser uses the term "vaporware" for ephemeral items, mostly electronic, but I think this sort of flag probably belongs in that area too. However, we have seen such flags for US presidential races from two centuries ago, so it probably deserves a mention on FOTW.
Rob Raeside, 9 March 2023


IDF reservist "Brothers in Arms" flag

[flag BIA] image located by William Garrison

The black-field flag of the "Brothers in Arms" protest group (comprised of Israeli military reservists) who are against the court/judicial reforms of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, near Tel Aviv, Israel, 9 March 16, 2023. It mimics the national Israeli flag with the top-and-bottom blue stripes and star, but against a black-field flag (representing mourning or protest?) instead of the normal white field. The white two-line slogan reads "achim le'neschek" (Hebrew) or "Brothers in Arms". (source: timesofisrael.com)
William Garrison, 20 March 2023


Protest flag with text of Declaration of Independence

[protest flag] image located by William Garrison

An Israeli flag superimposed with part of the text of the country's Declaration of Independence (in Hebrew), which is paraded by liberal/progressive Israelis in opposition to the conservative-religious coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 25 April 2023. The original Israeli Declaration of Independence day occurred on May 14, 1948, but due to differences between the Western-oriented Gregorian solar calendar and the Jewish/Hebrew lunisolar calendar, Israeli Independence Day in 2023 was observed on April 26 (and it varies from year to year). Israel has neither a constitution nor a "Bill of Rights". As its Declaration of Independence does contain some secular wording, the secular opponents of Netanyahu use portions of the Declaration as the most relevant political document to be reprinted on this flag. This "protest" flag is not meant to be against the existence of the Israeli state, it shows support for Israel – but for a more liberal-secular state than a conservative-religious one. (source: jta.org)
William Garrison, 26 April 2023


"Crime Minister" protest flag

["Crime Minister" flag] image located by William Garrison

Caption: "Israelis observe a moment of silence for victims of a shooting in Jerusalem in which seven people were killed by a Palestinian, at the beginning of an anti-government [protest] in Tel Aviv on 28 January 2023. (AP)" (picture, source)
(Picture of a protest poster, showing the inscription entirely [source])
located by William Garrison, 24 August 2023


Shimon Perez election campaign flag

[Shimon Perez flag] image by António Martins, 6 October 2023

Election campaign flag (1996) for Shimon Perez, with his name in Hebrew (The photo sticker was attached later). Black writing on yellow (picture, reverse). (source: ebay.com)
located by William Garrison, 18 September 2023