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Ma'alot-Tarshiha (Israel)

Iriyat Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Municipality of Ma'alot-Tarshiha

imageby Dov Gutterman \| 2:3			image by Dov Gutterman \| 2:3
image by Dov Gutterman \| 2:3

Description
Desk Flag

See also:

Municipal Flags (Israel)
Acre Subdistrict (Northern District, Israel)
Israel

Description

Ma'alot-Tarshiha is in Western Galilee, 20 km east of Nahariya. This municipality was established by joining the Jewish settlement of Ma'alot with the Arabic settlement of Tarshiha (pronounced Tarshikha). Pop. 20,000.
There is no official flag, not even a particular colour. The municipality use a variety of colours. The municipal emblem appears not to have been published in the official gazette (Rashumot, Yalkut HaPirsumim).
Sources: author's own observation, 1999; municipal website..
Dov Gutterman, 10 September 2001

I spotted three variants of the municipal flag: light blue flag with blue emblem, yellow flag with black emblem and orange flag with black emblem. No inscription.
Sources: author's own observation, 19 September 2001.
Dov Gutterman, 3 October 2001

In my visit a week ago, same flags are still use in variety of colors.
Ma'alot-Tarshiha is the only local authority in Israel which was established by uniting a Jewish and an Arab communities into one. Ma'alot was established in 1957 on Har HaRakafot (Cyclamens Mt. [in Arabic - Bab Al-Hauwa - Gate of the Winds]) on the north side of road 89.
Tarshiha is known from the Crusaders era as: Terschia, Torsia and Terslgha. It is situated on the South side of road 89.
In 1963 it was decided to unite them into one Local Council (Municipality since 1994) with population of 21,000 inh. (2003 - 80% Jews, 10% Christians, 9% Moslems and 1% Druze).
Ma'alot became known after being the sitefor the first major terrorist attack on Israel. On May 1974, a group of Terrorist from Lebanon took over a school and in the following battle 21 school children, 3 adults and a soldier were killed by them with 68 others wounded.
The lake which is seen in the center of the emblem is "Monfort Lake" situated east to Ma'alot (and not at all near the Monfort Castle as the name may suggest), now a tourism attraction. The official name of this man-made lake is "Ma'alot Lake" and previously it was used as water reservoir named "Hosen Reservoir".
Source: municipal website.
Dov Gutterman, 27 April 2005

Desk Flag

image by Dov Gutterman | 2:3

The flags in the city have outlined emblem only. The natural colours on white appear on the desk flag only.
Dov Gutterman, 29 April 2003