The blue band on a white base is a design that comes from the Jewish tallit, a shawl for prayers. The star in the center is called David's star and is the pattern of David, the second king of ancient Israel. The original design was first introduced at the Frist Zionist Congress held in Basel in 1897, and since then, has been accepted as the symbol of Zionism. Blue is the color of Palestine and white, the purity of Israelis' hearts.