Palestine Flag: Meaning, Colors, History & Facts
The Palestinian flag has black, white and green horizontal bands with a red triangle at the hoist. Its design belongs to the Pan-Arab color tradition and is rooted in the Arab Revolt flag.
What does the Palestinian flag look like?
The flag is divided into three equal horizontal stripes: black at the top, white in the middle and green at the bottom. A red triangle extends from the hoist into the striped field.
Where do the colors come from?
The four colors come from the wider Pan-Arab color tradition used by several Arab national movements and states.
What do the colors mean?
Palestinian official material notes a widely cited poetic interpretation linking black with battles, white with deeds, green with fields and red with swords. These are historical-cultural meanings rather than one exclusive legal definition.
How did the flag develop?
The design grew from the 1916 Arab Revolt flag. The Palestine Liberation Organization adopted the modern flag in 1964, and in 1988 it was adopted as the flag of the State of Palestine.
Read the full Palestine flag history →
What does the law define?
Palestinian law specifies three equal black, white and green horizontal sections and a red triangle at the hoist, together with the approved dimensions and proportions.
How can you identify it?
Look for black-white-green horizontal stripes in that order, plus a red triangle at the hoist.
Palestine flag facts
| Colors | Black, white, green, red |
|---|---|
| Design family | Pan-Arab |
| PLO adoption | 1964 |
| State of Palestine adoption | 1988 |
How is the Palestinian flag different from Jordan’s?
Both come from the Pan-Arab and Arab Revolt flag family. Jordan adds a white seven-pointed star inside its red triangle, while the Palestinian flag’s red triangle is plain.
Why is the stripe order important?
Several Arab flags use the same four colors, so the exact order—black above white above green, with red at the hoist—is one of the quickest ways to identify the Palestinian design correctly.
Palestine flag FAQ
How many colors are on the flag?
Four: black, white, green and red.
Is there a star on the flag?
No.
When did the PLO adopt the modern flag?
In 1964.
When was it adopted as the flag of the State of Palestine?
In 1988.
