Emblems in Stone And Wind - Chapter III

Flags of Revival and Strife in Jerusalem

The lion rampant of Judea has become the symbol of Jewish Jerusalem.

Preface

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is among the most contentious, complex, and enduring disputes globally. My aim in this chapter is ambitious and perhaps impossible: to satisfy everyone and avoid offending anyone, including Israelis, Palestinians, both religious and secular individuals, nationalists and moderates, right-wing and left-wing groups, as well as Islamic, Christian, Jewish, and Druze communities. I will strive to achieve this, even though I am not overly optimistic about success, considering these groups are distinct and have centuries of animosity. I will attempt to present each party's perspective fairly, hoping that most will feel their viewpoint is acknowledged. Inevitably, some may be offended by certain symbols: Symbols evoke emotions, which is their purpose. They can provoke, unsettle, or even shock opponents, regardless of which side one is on. If you object to any statements here, please express your views politely and concisely.

In contemporary times, flags and symbols represent identity, ideals, aspirations, traditions, and history. In this country, perhaps more than others, they signify proactive presence and ownership. The two opposing groups share a common trait: the complete exclusion of the other from any symbolic representation. This creates a perception, felt by many residents and visitors, that moving between Jewish and Arab areas feels like transitioning from one country to another. This sensation is evident in cities and towns that are mutually exclusive, as well as in mixed cities, where visible or invisible boundaries exist, such as crossing the tram line at Haim Barlev Boulevard in Jerusalem. Naturally, even more significant changes are noticeable when entering areas under Palestinian authority.

There are significant differences in the architectural features and aesthetic tastes of both communities, so it is natural for their symbolism to differ. The modern Jewish state emphasized its modernity and forward-thinking philosophy: Initially, the Zionist movement was led by the Labor movement, incorporating Soviet-inspired symbolism alongside Jewish nationalism. While East European socialism aligned itself with Social-Realism, the Zionists leaned towards more Modernist styles, influenced by the Bauhaus school in architecture and symbolism. Today, this is shifting as right-wing conservatives and religious parties gain prominence, adopting more traditional Jewish symbols.

Hapoel Ha'ivri, known as 'the Hebrew Worker', symbolizes the Zionist labor movement and was featured in a constructivist modernist style at the Tel Aviv exhibition in 1934. In the background, the Jewish Pavilion showcases the minimalist International Style. Villa Gelat, located in the Talbiyah neighborhood of Jerusalem, represents Palestinian eclectic architecture from 1926, with a revivalist nod to Jerusalem's Mamluk architecture and traditional ceramic tiles.

The Palestinian National movement was inspired by Middle Eastern movements, aiming to uphold Arab solidarity amidst the rise of Pan-Arabism and balance Nationalism with Islamism. In doing so, Palestinians sought to preserve a unique local identity, distinct from Pan Arabism or Syrian Nationalism, which viewed Palestine as part of the southern province of Greater Syria.

They also needed to take into account the presence of significant Christian communities, which led to a form of local nationalism that aimed to unite both Christians and Muslims. However, long-established Jewish communities, known as the Old Yishuv, who had resided in the area for centuries, were left out. By then, they were linked with the Zionists and were, in fact, the initial targets during the early riots of 1920-21 and 1929 in Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Hebron.

From the outset, Palestinian Nationalism aimed to shape a future for the Palestinian people and establish a united front against what was seen as a colonial and hostile takeover of the land.

Communists on both sides attempted to create joint platforms but were largely viewed as traitors by both groups.

There was little enthusiasm for creating shared symbols between the two conflicting parties, and the British quickly abandoned the effort.

The colors chosen by the two communities were incompatible: blue and white for the Jews, and black, green, white, and red for the Palestinians. None of the national and religious symbols adopted were acceptable to the opposing side.

Surprisingly, there was one exception: the olive branch and tree.

This quintessential tree of the land, cherished by all, appears on both Israeli and Palestinian symbols. Even the British recognized this.

British Palestine stamps and coins. The British concluded that it would be wiser to simply use the olive branch.

Emblems of Israel featuring olive branches include the State Emblem, the emblem of Jerusalem, and the badge of the Israel Defense Forces.

Palestinian emblems with olive branches: the Presidential seal, Jerusalem Hospital, and the Palestinian National Security Forces.

Unofficial popular use of the same symbol: Israeli IDF Golani Brigade Olive tree emblem (some say it's an oak) on a T-shirt design saying "My Golani" and Olive tree on typical T-shirt stating: I love you Palestine. But here, unfortunately, similarities end.

The Zionist quest for a national symbol.

Zionism emerged as a new ideology in the late 19th century, recognizing Jews as a nation among nations, despite their global dispersion, lack of territory, and absence of a common language. This innovative perspective was primarily developed by secular, emancipated Jewish intellectuals, with Theodore Herzl at the forefront. Traditionally, Jews were viewed as a religious group rather than a nation, or as an ethnic minority with specific genetic origins, as modern antisemitism perceived them, lacking the fundamental criteria for nationhood. Although Zionism considered itself a secular national movement, it drew on the enduring Jewish prayers to return to their homeland, lost when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, resulting in the Jewish diaspora. Zionists argued that Jews faced discrimination and persecution irrespective of their religious beliefs because they were seen as a distinct nation. The Zionist vision was to return to their historical homeland, where they could establish a national home and be a majority rather than a vulnerable minority. While not a religious movement, Zionists believed that Palestine could serve as a powerful motivator to unite Jews, whether religious or secular, into a national movement to resettle the ancient Promised Land of Israel, and they succeeded. Convincing both fellow Jews and non-Jews took effort, yet many, including some supportive Christian groups who saw the Jewish revival as a precursor to the second coming of Christ, rallied around the idea. However, the land was not uninhabited.

In 1897, the first Zionist congress was held in Basel, Switzerland, as they sought symbols for their movement.

The idea of resettling Jews in the Holy Land began earlier, around the 1870s. Although it wasn't yet a full-fledged nationalist ideology, some Jewish philanthropists supported projects aiding both resident Jews in Palestine and new settlers. Among these were the Montefiores from Britain and the Rothschild families, who established charitable institutions. Their family coats of arms are still visible in Jerusalem: Montefiore's at the windmill he built in Yemin Moshe, and in the Rothschild Houses in the Jewish quarter of the Old City.

The coats of arms of the philanthropists featured Montefiore's lion and stag alongside Rothschild's lion and unicorn. These were designed in the European aristocratic heraldic tradition, which held little significance for the Jewish radicals of Eastern Europe. Many of these radicals were socialists who had little regard for European nobility, while others emerged from Jewish religious seminaries in closed Jewish communities, and were unfamiliar with such foreign symbolism.

Initially, there was an effort to rejuvenate the limited aspects of Jewish heraldry, specifically the emblems of the twelve mythical tribes of Israel as verbally described in the Bible. However, because some religious groups disapprove of figurative representations, these emblems are seldom displayed.

Star of David or Seven Stars?

In some synagogues, particularly after Jewish emancipation, a relatively new symbol began to appear in the 18th century. Previously, it had been used as a decorative element in synagogues and prayer books without significant meaning or symbolism. As it became known as the Star (or Shield) of David, it increasingly symbolized Judaism. It emerged as an icon for Jews and Judaism, contrasting with the cross or crescent, and was embraced by the nationalist Zionist movement precisely because it lacked traditional religious significance. Even today, it is not widely accepted among the Ultra-Orthodox, who oppose Zionism, viewing it as a nationalistic rather than a religious movement.

Theodore Herzl, the visionary and founder of Political Zionism and the first Zionist leader, imagined a progressive, advanced, secular Jewish state that would follow the ideal of a seven-hour workday. He designed his own flag featuring seven stars. However, it didn't prove to be inspiring enough. As the first Zionist Congress was set to meet in Basel, there was a need for a logo, and a flag used in two colonies in Palestine , Nes-Ziona and Rishon-Lezion, was adopted. This flag was inspired by the Jewish prayer shawl and the Star of David. The two neighboring Israeli towns still debate over who used it first.

Herzl's first draft, featured the gold Star of David, alongside the flag with the rampant lion of Judah from the early Zionist congresses.

The flag recognized as Israel's today was initially adopted by the World Zionist Federation. However, in 1948, there was hesitation to designate it as the State of Israel's flag due to concerns it might pose issues for Jews in the diaspora. Since the flag was already commonly used as a Jewish symbol, it could have suggested dual loyalty. Consequently, a flag contest was announced in 1947, and a committee was tasked with selecting from the submissions.

Ultimately, the old Zionist flag prevailed. It was already widely used and clearly favored by the people. However, there was a significant issue: it only represented the Jewish population. Although a partition was intended to create two states—one Jewish and the other Arab, each with its own flag—the other state never emerged. By that time, the Palestinians had already created their own flag, which also excluded any reference to the other side. In reality, both sides were establishing their flags for conflict. There was no room for the other side: this land is ours completely, without compromise.

What became of Herzl's Seven Stars concept?

The seven stars haven't completely vanished. Israel's largest and oldest shipping company, "Zim Lines," incorporated the seven stars into its logo, placing them between two blue stripes on the house flag and using them as a funnel design on its ships, like the S.S. Theodor Herzl, a Zim passenger liner from the 1960s and 70s. These stars also appear on certain local flags, such as that of the Herzelia Municipality (see last photo).

The Emblem of the State

The other debate centered around the coat of arms. Since the Star of David was already in use, there was an effort to include the religious and orthodox sector to uphold the ideal that the Jewish state is the homeland for all Jews. The seven-branched Menorah symbol was the primary consideration, partly for religious reasons and also due to a profound emotional connection: the defeat of Judea by the Roman Empire. The state of Israel views itself as a restoration of the ancient Judean state. On Titus' triumphal arch in Rome, there is a relief depicting the ancient Temple Menorah, taken as a victory trophy. Selecting the specific form of the Menorah from the arch symbolized the restoration of Jewish sovereignty, even though the Menorah was a liturgical religious object rather than a national one.

The renowned relief on the Arch of Titus in Rome depicts the temple relics being taken into captivity. The seven-branched Menorah, featured on the emblem of the State of Israel, is an exact replica. The ceremonial menorah situated in front of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, was donated by a group of predominantly Jewish British MPs in 1956 and has become a popular tourist site. Created by the artist Benno Elkan, it illustrates scenes from Jewish history, ranging from biblical events to modern times, with all scenes depicted in reliefs on the Menorah's branches.

Israel's present official flags

1. National Flag 2. Presidential Standard 3. Military Standard

4. Merchant ensign 5. Naval ensign 6. Israeli flag of Jerusalem.

further reading: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-israeli-state-emblem-jewish-virtual-library

Palestinians holding Israeli citizenship, making up over 20% of the population, are not symbolized by this flag. Other minority groups, like the Druze and Circassians, have their own national flags, which are accepted by Israelis and displayed at state-supported events. This is not the case for the Palestinian flag. Although it was prohibited by Israeli law, the ban has not been enforced since 1993 following the Oslo Accords. Nevertheless, most Israelis find the flag deeply offensive and are disturbed when it is displayed within Israel.

Generally speaking, today there is an atmosphere of total mutual exclusion. These two pins could be sold at any souvenir stand across the country. A map of the entire Holy Land, all belonging to one side (The Israeli map includes the Golan Heights). However,

Their significance is quite foreboding. Since 1967, Palestinians in the West Bank have been deprived of fundamental civil rights. They lack the ability to vote in civilian elections for an independent, sovereign, and viable state. Many Palestinians view the Israeli flag and symbols as representations of occupation and the denial of human rights.

For Israelis, the Palestinian flag over the entire country is seen as exclusive of the Jews, indicating that Palestinians do not recognize any Jewish rights the country, either fully or partially, and revealing their negative intentions regarding the historic homeland, secured through significant Israeli sacrifice. This is the core of the conflict.

Palestinians: a part of the Arab world, yet an ancient, distinct people of their own.

Palestinian intellectuals have been discussing this separate Palestinian identity since the end of the 19th century. Palestine was seen as part of the Greater Syria (Al-Sham) for centuries, it was controlled in Mamluk times from Damascus and Cairo, and as part of the Vilayet of Damascus in Ottoman times. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Ottomans realized Palestine was becoming a strategic target for European powers, especially after the completion of the Suez Canal. That was the reason they declared Jerusalem and the lands around to be a special imperial province, the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem (Kudüs-i Şerif Mutasarrıflığı) in 1872. That was intended to have a more stringent control on locals selling concessions to European, But to no avail. 45 years later, when the Ottomans allied themselves with the Axis powers of WWI, Germany and Austria-Hungary, who sent troops to defend the Ottoman lands and were defeated by the British and allied forces, the Ottomans had also been defeated, and fell apart as an empire, becoming the Republic of Turkey.

However, the British had two allies in the region. The first were the Hashemite Hedjaz princes from the Arabian Peninsula, who were promised new kingdoms in the Levant, including Syria, Iraq, and parts of Palestine. They supported the Allies and assisted in driving the Ottomans out of the Arabian Peninsula.

The Hashemites understood that a group previously not taken seriously had gained concessions and recognition for supporting the allied cause through financial backing, intelligence, and a commitment to uphold British interests by settling the region, a task the British did not intend to undertake themselves. In 1917, the Balfour Declaration was issued, in which Britain promised to establish a homeland for the Jewish people, while also pledging to protect the interests of the local native population. However, this was far from convincing for the Palestinians.

In the 1920s, a series of clashes and riots erupted, during which Jewish communities were attacked. These events were referred to as the Nabi Musa Intifada by Palestinians and the 1920 riots by Jews. A more severe outbreak occurred in 1929, known to Palestinians as the Al-Buraq uprising and to Jews as the 1929 Massacres. By then, it was clear that a Greater Syria would not emerge. The Hashemites established an independent Kingdom in Transjordan, while the Palestinians remained under British control, with the British preparing the land to become a Jewish homeland through substantial Jewish immigration. National identity guidelines emphasized Muslim-Christian solidarity.

The selected flag was that of the Arab revolt. The original design featured three stripes in black, green, and white. This order was rearranged to black, white, and green.

The four colors represent Arab Heritage: Black symbolizes the flags used during the Prophet's era and the Abbasid dynasty. The Umayyad dynasty used white flags, the Fatimids used green, and the red triangle signifies revolution and liberation. During the Great Palestinian Revolt of 1936-1939, a flag featuring a crescent and cross was used.

In 1929, the journal Filastin, published in Jaffa, encouraged Palestinians to send a suggestion, for a distinct Palestinian flag. According to research by prof. Tamir Sorek, they introduced the color orange as distinctive of Palestine, with oranges being the common crop. (Jaffa Oranges were an internationally renowned brand a long time before the Israelis took it over after 1948) The idea didn't quite take off. Like regarding the Zionist competition a few years later, there already was a popular flag in use, and there was no enthusiasm for change. But we have here some evidence of this attempt. Here are some of the entries and their elaboration to clear colors.

Some of the entries in clear colors. (image by Eugene Ipavec FOTW site.)

The flag was ratified again in 1964 by the PLO and in 1988 upon the declaration of the Palestinian state. It is still a flag of struggle and resistance against the Israeli Occupation of their land and is central in demonstrations and artwork in Palestinian society.

If one tours any city with a Palestinian population, be it Nazareth inside Israel or Bethlehem in the Palestinian State area, the flag is still an act of resistance and defiance.

Dome of the Rock as a popular emblem.

Other symbols which have gained popularity are the Dome of the Rock, the monumental mosque on top of Temple Mount/Haram a Sharif and the Keffiyeh, the local men's headdress, and its particular black and white design pattern. The Al-Aqsa Dome of the Rock has a more religious, Islamic significance, whereas the Keffiyeh is a nationalist symbol popularized by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, making it his hallmark and a widely used symbol and item. Top to bottom: Wall decorations on a Muslim's home in Jerusalem for returning from the pilgrimages to Mecca. They include silhouettes of the Kaaba in Mecca and of the Dome of the Rock, and an eight-pointed star, which is emerging as a new unifying Palestinian symbol. (photo: Tamar Hayardeni) The Zaatar pyramid at Al-Quds Spice store in the Jerusalem Souq. with the Dome of the Rock on top. A child holding up a model of the Mosque wearing a Keffiyeh in a poster of the presidential guard, and finally, the emblem of the National Security Force. The symbol of the dome of the rock takes center stage in the emblems of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations.

The Keffiyeh symbol. Today there is a merging of symbols of all movements in the spirit of Palestinian unity. Like on the Israeli side, Palestine, here, is the whole country.

The National Emblem

The Palestinian state emblem is the eagle of Saladin, based on a relief on the wall of Cairo citadel. There are accounts of it being used on his banner. There is a "contest" in the Arab world between Saladin's eagle, and the falcon of the Quraish. In most Arab states to the east of Palestine, except Iraq, it is the falcon which is the centerpiece of the emblems, including Syria, Jordan, the Gulf states. Quraish was the clan of Prophet Mohammad. I don't know why the eagle was chosen. I speculate that perhaps the falcon had more Islamic connotations, the eagle implying perhaps a more nationalistic message which could also appeal to the Christians? I would be happy for readers who might know, to tell me.

Below: the Palestinian president's seal, Emblem of the Preventive Security force, with the Eagle. Next, the Palestinian Legislative council, with the eight-pointed star.

Finally, the official flags. The first, stayed and remained the National flag. then the State flag, charged with the eagle and crossed swords. Third, the presidential flag with the same symbol and olive wreath and finally the municipal flag of East Jerusalem, with the octagram.

As far as I know, there are no Maritime or Naval Ensigns.

A common flag?

There have been attempts to create common Israeli-Palestinian flags, but these are rare and far-between, usually initiatives by some individual or miniscule groups. The basic situation is that of one people controlling another people, and so talking about symmetry is immaterial. The Palestinians oppose any normalization, as long as they are in this situation. Most Israelis are not willing to acknowledge it.

There is no mood for cooperation on either side, and except for some NGOs, especially in the Israeli left wing, most people are quite pessimistic about any form of peace. In any case, the Israelis who form joint initiatives are considered as traitors on their side, and so are the Palestinians who cooperate by their own side. And yet, the two people co-exist in the same territory, they work together, sometimes even socialize, laugh together, eat together, and then clash occasionally. Most of the time, they pass each other, side by side, ignoring the existence of the other as much as possible, as if they were living in parallel worlds. Most people arriving from the outside are perplexed by what they witness and are quite astonished it does not look like what they had expected, seeing the news back home. It is a very complex and unusual type of war.

These symbols, you have seen, express the conflicting national aspirations and desires of the peoples, and the fact that they have not agreed upon a mutually acceptable idea of co-existence, something that they could trust and feel reassured about, each for their own future. This absence of a good, all-inclusive idea, acceptable to all sides, results, unfortunately, in a war, and consequently, any joint symbols are irrelevant at this stage.