You’ve seen them on the news, at protests, or flying over government buildings in Amman and Ramallah. At first glance, they look like twins. Identical twins, almost. We’re talking about the jordan flag vs palestine flag debate, a topic that trips up everyone from casual travelers to seasoned political analysts.
Honestly, if you mix them up, don’t feel too bad. They share the same DNA. They both use the Pan-Arab colors: black, white, green, and red. They both feature three horizontal stripes and a red triangle pointing inward from the left. But there are tiny, massive differences that tell a story of royalty, revolution, and religious scripture.
The Dead Giveaway: Look for the Star
If you only remember one thing from this entire article, let it be the star.
The Jordanian flag has a white, seven-pointed star sitting right in the middle of the red triangle. The Palestinian flag does not. It’s an empty red triangle. Basically, if there’s a star, it’s Jordan. If it’s "blank," it’s Palestine.
Why seven points? It isn’t just a random design choice. In Jordan, that star is deeply spiritual. It represents the seven verses of the Al-Fatiha, which is the opening surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran. Some people also say it stands for the unity of the Arab people.
Back in 1928, the star was officially added to what was then the flag of the Emirate of Transjordan. Before that, it was just the Arab Revolt flag. Adding that star was like Jordan putting its own unique signature on a shared history.
The Stripe Shuffle
Here is where it gets really tricky. You have to look at the order of the horizontal stripes.
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On the Jordanian flag, the order from top to bottom is Black, White, Green.
On the Palestinian flag, the order is... also Black, White, Green.
Wait, so they’re the same? Mostly, yes. But historically, there was a brief period where the Palestinian flag used a different order (Black, Green, White). If you look at the original 1916 Arab Revolt flag, the green and white stripes were actually reversed compared to what we see on the Jordanian flag today.
Today, the Palestinian flag—adopted officially by the PLO in 1964—matches the Jordanian stripe order perfectly. This makes the star even more important. It is literally the only visual separator between the two designs.
Why Do They Look So Similar Anyway?
It all goes back to 1916. The Great Arab Revolt.
During World War I, Arab forces rose up against the Ottoman Empire. They needed a symbol, something that screamed "Arab Unity." Sir Mark Sykes, a British diplomat (the same guy from the Sykes-Picot Agreement), is often credited with helping design the flag.
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He used the four colors of the great Islamic caliphates:
- Black: The Abbasid Caliphate (Baghdad).
- White: The Umayyad Caliphate (Damascus).
- Green: The Fatimid Caliphate (North Africa) or the Rashidun.
- Red: The Hashemite dynasty.
Jordan is ruled by the Hashemites. Because they led the revolt, they kept the flag nearly exactly as it was, just adding the star to distinguish themselves as a sovereign state. Palestine adopted the original revolt flag as a symbol of their own nationalist movement and the dream of independence. They are essentially using the "source code" of Arab nationalism.
The Dimension Factor
If you’re a real vexillology (flag study) nerd, you’ll notice the proportions are different.
The Jordanian flag is long. Its ratio is 1:2. That means it’s twice as wide as it is tall. This gives it a very sleek, rectangular look when it catches the wind.
The Palestinian flag usually follows a 1:2 ratio as well, but in many official contexts, you'll see it as 2:3 or even 3:5. It tends to look a bit "stumpier" or more square compared to the Jordanian version.
What Most People Miss
People think these flags are just political markers. They aren't. They’re poetry.
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There’s a 14th-century poem by Safi al-Din al-Hilli that basically predicted these flags centuries before they were sewn. He wrote: "White are our deeds, black our battles, green our fields, and red our swords." When you look at the jordan flag vs palestine flag, you’re looking at that poem in fabric form. The red isn't just a color; it’s the blood of the struggle. The green isn't just a stripe; it’s the hope of a fertile future.
Practical Ways to Tell Them Apart Fast
Still confused? Use these mental shortcuts.
- The "Jordan is a Star" Trick: This is the easiest one. Jordan is a kingdom with a prominent royal family. Think of them as the "stars" of the show. If there’s a star, it’s Jordan.
- The Triangle Length: In the Jordanian flag, the red triangle (the chevron) usually stops before it hits the middle of the flag. In some versions of the Palestinian flag, that triangle feels a bit more aggressive, though this varies by manufacturer.
- The Context: If you’re in the West Bank, you’re seeing the Palestinian flag. If you’re at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, you’re seeing the Jordanian flag.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Trip or Research
If you are writing about, designing for, or traveling through the Levant, accuracy matters.
- Check your emojis: The Jordan flag emoji (🇯🇴) and the Palestinian flag emoji (🇵🇸) look tiny on a phone screen. Look for the white dot in the red part of the Jordan emoji. That’s your star.
- Respect the Star: In Jordan, the seven-pointed star is a point of immense national pride. Removing it or using the Palestinian flag to represent Jordan is seen as a major faux pas.
- Understand the "Why": Remember that the similarity isn't a mistake. It’s a deliberate nod to a shared history of wanting to be free from Ottoman rule. They are siblings, not clones.
When you're trying to distinguish the jordan flag vs palestine flag, just focus on that red triangle. No star? Palestine. Seven-pointed star? Jordan. It's a small detail that carries the weight of a century of history.
To get the most accurate visual, always compare the two side-by-side in high resolution. Note the specific shade of green—Jordan's green can sometimes appear slightly darker in official government prints compared to the more vibrant "forest green" often used in Palestinian banners. Knowing these nuances turns you from a casual observer into someone who truly understands the landscape of the Middle East.