Public holidays in Palestine
13 days in 2026 · 13 in 2027
Back to PalestineNext public holiday
Independence Day
يوم الاستقلال
After it: Christmas Day, Friday 25 December
Sunday, 15 November 2026
The State of Palestine has 13 public holidays in 2026 and 13 in 2027 by the Office Holidays calendar, and nine of the 2026 dates follow the Islamic lunar calendar, so their Gregorian dates move from one year to the next: the Prophet's Ascension falls on 16 January in 2026, on 5 January in 2027 and again on 25 December 2027, the same day as Christmas. Eid al-Fitr brings three days off and Eid al-Adha three more.
The fixed days are few. New Year's Day, Labour Day on 1 May and Independence Day on 15 November, which marks the proclamation of the state in Algiers in 1988, are kept everywhere, and Christmas on 25 December is a public holiday that both calendars on file mark as not kept in the Gaza Strip. Orthodox Christmas on 7 January closes the banks without being a general day off, and Easter does not appear in either list.
- Days off in 2026
- 13Nationwide public holidays
- On a weekday
- 8Saturday to Thursday
- On a weekend
- 5Friday
- Long weekends
- 2three days off or more
2026
Public holidays in Palestine in 2026
- 1 January: New Year's Dayرأس السنة الميلاديةNew Year's Day, 1 January by the Gregorian calendar.Thursday
- 16 January: The Prophet's Ascensionالإسراء والمعراجIsra and Mi'raj, 27 Rajab, which marks the Prophet's night travel from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascent to heaven.FridayDate moves
- 20 March: Eid al-Fitrعيد الفطرEid al-Fitr, 1 Shawwal, the festival that ends the fast of Ramadan. The calendar gives it three days off.FridayDate moves
- 21 March: Eid al-Fitr holidayعيد الفطرEid al-Fitr, 1 Shawwal, the festival that ends the fast of Ramadan. The calendar gives it three days off.SaturdayDate moves
- 22 March: Eid al-Fitr holidayعيد الفطرEid al-Fitr, 1 Shawwal, the festival that ends the fast of Ramadan. The calendar gives it three days off.SundayDate moves
- 1 May: Labour Dayعيد العمالLabour Day, 1 May.Friday
- 27 May: Eid al-Adhaعيد الأضحىEid al-Adha, 10 Dhu al-Hijja, the feast of the sacrifice at the end of the pilgrimage season, with three days off.WednesdayDate moves
- 28 May: Eid al-Adha holidayعيد الأضحىEid al-Adha, 10 Dhu al-Hijja, the feast of the sacrifice at the end of the pilgrimage season, with three days off.ThursdayDate moves
- 29 May: Eid al-Adha holidayعيد الأضحىEid al-Adha, 10 Dhu al-Hijja, the feast of the sacrifice at the end of the pilgrimage season, with three days off.FridayDate moves
- 16 June: Islamic New Yearرأس السنة الهجريةThe Islamic New Year, 1 Muharram.TuesdayDate moves
- 25 August: The Prophet's Birthdayالمولد النبويMawlid al-Nabi, 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.TuesdayDate moves
- 15 November: Independence Dayيوم الاستقلالIndependence Day. The Palestine National Council proclaimed the State of Palestine in Algiers on 15 November 1988.Sunday
- 25 December: Christmas Dayعيد الميلادChristmas. 25 December is a public holiday, recorded by both calendars on file as not kept in Gaza; 7 January, Christmas by the Julian calendar of the Orthodox churches, is a bank holiday.Friday
Long weekends
Long weekends in Palestine in 2026
Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.
- 3daysFri 20 Mar to Sun 22 MarEid al-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr holiday, Eid al-Fitr holiday
- 3daysWed 27 May to Fri 29 MayEid al-Adha, Eid al-Adha holiday, Eid al-Adha holiday
2027
Public holidays in Palestine in 2027
- 1 January: New Year's Dayرأس السنة الميلاديةFriday
- 5 January: The Prophet's Ascensionالإسراء والمعراجTuesdayDate moves
- 8 March: Eid al-Fitrعيد الفطرMondayDate moves
- 9 March: Eid al-Fitr holidayعيد الفطرTuesdayDate moves
- 10 March: Eid al-Fitr holidayعيد الفطرWednesdayDate moves
- 1 May: Labour Dayعيد العمالSaturday
- 16 May: Eid al-Adhaعيد الأضحىSundayDate moves
- 17 May: Eid al-Adha holidayعيد الأضحىMondayDate moves
- 18 May: Eid al-Adha holidayعيد الأضحىTuesdayDate moves
- 6 June: Islamic New Yearرأس السنة الهجريةSundayDate moves
- 15 August: The Prophet's Birthdayالمولد النبويSundayDate moves
- 15 November: Independence Dayيوم الاستقلالMonday
- 25 December: Christmas Dayعيد الميلادSaturday
Observances
Days marked in Palestine that are not days off
- 7 January: Orthodox Christmasعيد الميلادChristmas. 25 December is a public holiday, recorded by both calendars on file as not kept in Gaza; 7 January, Christmas by the Julian calendar of the Orthodox churches, is a bank holiday.Wednesday
The lunar dates are set by the sighting of the moon, and the published lists can differ by a day: for 2027 Office Holidays places Eid al-Fitr on Monday 8 March and the Prophet's Birthday on Sunday 15 August, while qppstudio has Tuesday 9 March and Saturday 14 August and adds a fourth, tentative government day off to each Eid. The calendar above follows Office Holidays.
Common questions
Questions about public holidays in Palestine
How many public holidays does Palestine have in 2026?
Thirteen by the Office Holidays calendar: New Year's Day, the Prophet's Ascension, three days for Eid al-Fitr, Labour Day, three days for Eid al-Adha, the Islamic New Year, the Prophet's Birthday, Independence Day and Christmas. Orthodox Christmas on 7 January is a bank holiday only. Several of the 2026 days fell on a Friday, among them 1 May and Christmas Day.
When is Eid al-Fitr in Palestine in 2027?
Office Holidays dates it to Monday 8 March 2027, with days off on 9 and 10 March as well. The day depends on the sighting of the new moon at the end of Ramadan, and qppstudio places the feast itself on Tuesday 9 March, with a holiday on the 8th and a tentative fourth day for government staff on the 11th.
Why does the Prophet's Ascension fall twice in 2027?
Because the holiday follows the Islamic lunar calendar, whose dates move against the Gregorian year: Isra and Mi'raj, on 27 Rajab, fell on 16 January in 2026, falls on Tuesday 5 January 2027 and comes round again on Saturday 25 December 2027, the same day as Christmas. That leaves 13 dates off in 2027 although 14 holidays are listed.
What does Palestinian Independence Day mark?
The proclamation of the State of Palestine by the Palestine National Council, meeting in exile in Algiers, on 15 November 1988. It is kept as a public holiday every year on that date: Sunday 15 November 2026 and Monday 15 November 2027.
Is Christmas a public holiday in Palestine?
Yes. 25 December is a public holiday in the West Bank, and both the Office Holidays and qppstudio calendars mark it as not kept in the Gaza Strip. Orthodox Christmas, 7 January, closes the banks but is not a general day off. Christians are about 1% of Palestinians; in Bethlehem the patriarchs of three churches walk the Pilgrimage Route to the Church of the Nativity at their Christmases.
How long are the Eid holidays in Palestine?
Three days each in the Office Holidays calendar. In 2026 Eid al-Fitr ran from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 March and Eid al-Adha from Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 May. In 2027 they fall from 8 to 10 March and from 16 to 18 May. qppstudio lists a fourth, tentative day for government employees around each.
Dates from Written from the sources, read 2026-10-02. The page counts from Saturday, 3 October 2026, the day it was built.