“…Like all other nations in their own sovereign State…”
Choosing the national flag
On June 8, 1948 the Provisional Government published an announcement in the newspapers inviting the citizens of Israel to submit proposals for the state emblem and flag. The announcement stated that the colors of the flag would be “light blue and white,” and in the middle there would be “a Star of David or seven stars (in gold or some other colour).” The first set of components represnted the flag of the World Zionist Organization, which consisted of two light blue stripes with a Star of David in between. The second set was based on Theodore Herzl’s proposal that the Zionist flag be adorned with seven stars symbolizing seven daily hours of work.
The “Emblem and Flag Committee” received dozens of suggestions from people from all sectors of the population. After reviewing them, the committee submitted two proposals for the flag. On July 11, the government chose a design by the graphic artist Otto Wallisch, consisting of two blue stripes, and between them, a white stripe adorned with seven stars of David in “whitish gold (or yellow).”
The entire range of proposals for the flag can be examined in a series of albums and files found at the Israel State Archives. (see the files of the Ministerial Symbols Committee, e.g. G 396/14, P 108/1, G 4024/1, )
See the Protocol of the Provisional Committee, here