Watermelons and Palestine: How a Fruit Became a Symbol of Resistance

Watermelons are not only a delicious and refreshing fruit, but also a powerful symbol of solidarity and resistance for Palestinians. The fruit, which has the same colors as the Palestinian flag when sliced open, has been used by Palestinians to express their national identity and protest against Israeli occupation and oppression for decades.

The history of the watermelon as a symbol of Palestine dates back to 1967, when Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza in the Six-Day War and banned the display of the Palestinian flag. To circumvent the ban, Palestinians began using watermelons as a substitute for the flag, painting them with slogans or carving them into shapes¹². The Israeli authorities soon realized the meaning of the watermelons and confiscated them, along with any artwork that featured the fruit or its colors³.

The ban on the Palestinian flag was lifted in 1993, as part of the Oslo Accords, which recognized the Palestinian Authority as the representative of the Palestinian people. However, the watermelon remained a symbol of Palestinian culture and resistance, especially in Gaza, where the fruit is a staple of the local cuisine. Watermelon dishes, such as fatet ajer, a stew of unripe watermelon, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes, are often served as a sign of hospitality and solidarity¹.

In recent years, the watermelon has also become a symbol of online activism and awareness for the Palestinian cause. As the violence in Gaza escalated in 2023, many social media users started using the watermelon emoji or adding it to their usernames and bios to show their support for Palestine. The emoji also helped to bypass the censorship or filtering algorithms that some platforms use to limit or remove content related to Palestine or Israel¹³. The watermelon emoji has been used to promote petitions, fundraisers, protests, and educational resources about the situation in Palestine.

The watermelon is more than just a fruit for Palestinians. It is a symbol of their history, identity, culture, and struggle. It is a way of expressing their resilience and hope in the face of oppression and injustice. It is a reminder of their connection to their land and their people. It is a fruit of resistance. 🍉