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Ariel (Israel, Judea and Samaria/West Bank Occupied Territories)

Iriyat Ariel, Municipality of Ariel

Last modified: 2015-06-29 by andrew weeks
Keywords: ariel | iriyat ariel | samaria | judea and samaria | west bank occupied territories | text: hebrew (red) | coat of arms (sunburst) | coat of arms (mountains: red) | text: hebrew (black) | coat of arms (mountains: green |
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[Municipality of Ariel (Israel)]
image by Željko Heimer | 2:3

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Description

Ariel is situated on Cross-Samaria road about 40 Km east of Tel-Aviv and it is the central city of Samaria region. Ariel takes its name from the Bible and is synonymous with Jerusalem and the Temple Mount (Isaiah 29:1). Est. 1978, pop 16,000. Young in age and it has already got three different emblems:

  • Probably an old one can be seen at this webpage and seems to be an 18-year anniversary logo. Inscription reads I live - which also means 18 in Hebrew - in Ariel.
  • Another logo at this webpage, the inscription reads Ariel capital of Samaria.
  • The same one but stylized at the city website.

Ms. Yaffa Ofir of the municipality sent me an e-mail telling me that Ariel does not use a specific colour on its logo-on-bedsheet flag and that the emblem shows the mountains and sunshine above Ariel. I drew it on white but as it said it could appear also on other backgrounds.
Dov Gutterman, 1 September 2001

I had further correspondence with the municipality. The logo now in use is the stylized one, which is placed on different coloured backgrounds, and also the emblem itself is printed in different shades. Usually there is also a slogan added. The all time slogan is Ariel - Birat Ha'Shomron (Ariel - Capital of Samaria) and on the desk flag also added (on the emblem itself) the new motto: Ariel - Ir Khakhama (Ariel - smart city). On official documents the logo is in reddish shades while on the desk flag it is in blueish ones. Sources: letter and desk flag from the city council, 29 August 2001.
Dov Gutterman, 8 September 2001

The emblem of Ariel has not been formally adopted. Israeli municipalities in areas occupied since 1967 cannot register their emblems. The reason is that those areas are not legally part of Israel and according to international law they are governed by decrees of the military commander of the areas. Many Israeli laws are in force in those municipalities when adopted there by the military commander, but the Symbols/Emblems Protection Act of 1974 is not one of them.
Dov Gutterman, 4 September 2001 and 19 January 2003

Ariel (also written Ari'el) became Local Council in 1981 and municipality in 1998.
In one of the features in the municipal site, one can see the flag in vertical shape in the entrance to the city. It has blue municipal emblem on white with its name above the emblem.
Dov Gutterman, 9 April 2005

The Emblem

[Municipality of Ariel (Israel)]
image from municipal site

Former Flag

[Municipality of Ariel, former flag (Israel)]
image by Željko Heimer | 2:3

This flag was probably in use until the logo was changed into the new stylized one at an unknown date.
Dov Gutterman, 8 September 2001