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The Palestinian keffiyeh was originally worn by farmers, but political connotations of the keffiyeh began during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine when resistance fighters wore it over their faces to protect their identity from British soldiers.
Subsequently, the scarf became a symbol for “trouble makers” for the British, who would arrest Palestinians wearing them under suspicion. This solidified the keffiyeh a symbol of Palestinian resistance and was even banned by Israel between the years of 1967 and 1993, along with Palestine’s flag.
The design of the scarf considers the minute detail of Palestine’s culture. The printing on the keffiyeh is said to have three symbols for Palestine. The bold lines symbolise Palestine’s trade because it was a hub for importing and exporting goods for the whole region.
The olive leaves represent a symbol of Palestinian culture and resistance and reliance on olives for the economy.
The fishnet pattern on the keffiyeh also represents Palestine’s famous fishing industry which is still a lifeline for the besieged Gaza Strip’s economy but is also a metaphor for the sea being an escape from Israeli occupation.
For decades, Palestinians and Arabs have used the Palestinian keffiyeh as a marker of solidarity with the cause. People wore it around their heads and necks in various styles.
How a person wore it never really mattered, as long as they were wearing it and representing Palestine with pride. It was and is still used by Palestinians to protect themselves from Israeli teargas, especially in the occupied West Bank where they are subjected to such attacks the most.
Yasser Arafat, then-leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), famously lifted his keffiyeh off the top of his head to represent Al-Aqsa Mosque’s golden Dome of the Rock.
He often draped his keffiyeh off his right shoulder so it somewhat resembles a map of Palestine and famously addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 1974 in this fashion.
Source: https://www.newarab.com/features/raise-keffiyeh-unofficial-flag-palestine
