Customs Flag and Jack (Israel)

Last modified: 2003-01-18 by santiago dotor
Keywords: israel | text: hebrew (white) | mekhes | blo | customs | excise | law |
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9:14 | 90 × 140 cm (flag) / 2:3 | 60 × 90 cm (jack) |
by Zachary Harden, modified by Dov Gutterman
Flag adopted 20th October 1965

• Description
• Flag Legislation

See also:

• Flags of Governmental Authorities (Israel)
• Israel

The customs flag can be seen for instance at Haifa Customs House, among all the national flags hoisted on the building. According to the legislation there are two flags, a land flag (the customs house flag) and a flag for use at sea (the bow flag, i.e. a jack). Both flags are the same but in different sizes.

Dov Gutterman, 26 August 2001

I assume therefore that it is not used as an ensign, at the stern. What do custom vessels fly as ensign: national flag or civil ensign?

Santiago Dotor, 18 October 2002

Never saw one, but judging from other governmental vessels (apart from police boats) there is no flag at the stern and [the] national flag [is flown] on the main mast.

Dov Gutterman, 18 October 2002

My notes in brackets:

Customs Ordinance [note 1]
Chap. 2. Sec. 5: Customs Flag
5. Vessels in customs authority service will carry, for identification, a flag in the determined shape.

Customs Regulations 5766-1965 [adopted on 20 October 1965, note 2]
Chap. 2. Sec. 2: Customs flag
2. The customs flag as described and drawn in the 2nd supp. shall be hoisted on the Customs house and on bow of each vessel in customs authority service (...)

Supp. 2
Part A: Customs House Flag:
The flag: 140 cm in length and 90 cm in width. The background: blue except the figure of the flag of the State of Israel as described hereafter.

Figure of the flag of the State of Israel: In the upper left corner of the flag, next to the hoist, in height of 45 cm above the bottom length side. Background of the figure: white with two stripes of dark azure stripes on it, each stripe 6.5 cm wide, reaching all the length of the symbol from side to side. The upper stripe: at a distance of 6.5 cm from the upper length side. The lower stripe: at a distance of 6.5 cm from the lower length side. In the centre of the white background, between the the two azure stripes and in equal distance from both: a Magen David made of six azure stripes, each 2 cm wide, combined into two equilateral triangles whose bases are parallel to the two azure stripes along the flag.

The words Mekhes and Blo [note 3]: embroidered in white between two concentrical circles whose centre is 20 cm far from the bottom side and 20 cm from the fly. Radius of one circle 10 cm and of the other circle 5 cm.

Part B: Jack:
The flag: 90 cm in length and 60 cm in width. The background: blue except the figure of the flag of the State of Israel as described hereafter.

Figure of the flag of the State of Israel: In the upper left corner of the flag, next to the hoist, in height of 30 cm above the bottom length side. Background of the figure: white with two stripes of dark azure stripes on it, each stripe 4.5 cm wide, reaching all the length of the symbol from side to side. The upper stripe: at a distance of 4.5 cm from the upper length side. The lower stripe: at a distance of 4.5 cm from the lower length side. In the centre of the white background, between the the two azure stripes and in equal distance from both: a Magen David made of six azure stripes, each 1.5 cm wide, combined into two equilateral triangles whose bases are parallel to the two azure stripes along the flag.

The words Mekhes and Blo [note 3]: embroidered in white between two concentrical circles whose centre is 15 cm far from the bottom side and 15 cm from the fly. Radius of one circle 8 cm and of the other circle 4 cm.

Note 2: Here (and also in the civil ensign), the legislation came to replace previous legislation which had also the flag mentioned there. The civil ensign was probably adopted shortly after May 1948, and the customs flag replaced the Mandate era one at approximately same date.

Note 3: Meaning Customs and Excise.

Dov Gutterman, 26 August 2001

There are only three flags in Israel's (main) legislation, the national flag, the civil ensign and the Customs flag (and Customs jack). While the first two are original Israeli flags, the Israel customs flag and jack is a replacement to the British Mandate Customs jack. The original British 1929 Ordenance, part 2 sec. 7, says "The vessels employed in the service of the Customs shall be distinguished from other vessels by such flag as shall be prescribed". The Mandate era Customs flag was prescribed in the Customs Rules of 15 March 1929 as follows:

Custom Flag (rules dated 13 September 1930)
2. (1) The flag to be flown on customs house and vessels in the service of the Customs, shall be the blue ensign defaced by the word 'PALESTINE' within a white disc.

Here are scans of the flag image in that regulation and a close-up of the inscription.

Dov Gutterman, 5 September 2001