Palestine Flag Meaning: Black, White, Green & Red Explained
The Palestinian flag uses three horizontal bands—black, white and green—with a red triangle at the hoist. The design belongs to the wider Pan-Arab flag tradition and is based on the flag of the 1916 Arab Revolt.
What does the flag look like?
The flag has equal horizontal bands of black, white and green, with a red triangle extending inward from the hoist.
Where do the colors come from?
The four colors are part of the Pan-Arab color tradition. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs traces the design to the Arab Revolt flag used in the early twentieth century.
What does black mean?
A widely cited interpretation, noted by Palestinian official sources, comes from classical Arab poetry in which black is associated with battles.
What does white mean?
In the same poetic tradition, white is associated with deeds or noble actions.
What does green mean?
Green is linked in the traditional verse with fields and land.
What does red mean?
Red is associated in that poetic tradition with swords and struggle.
Are these meanings legally fixed?
No single legal text assigns one exclusive symbolic definition to each color. Palestinian law formally defines the four-color construction and proportions, while the historical color meanings come from the broader Arab nationalist tradition.
How can you identify it?
Look for black-white-green horizontal bands and a red triangle at the hoist. The order of the three stripes is an important identifying detail.
