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Today's Paper | May 08, 2026

Published 26 Oct, 2023 12:42pm

READ: How the watermelon became a symbol of resistance in Palestine

The watermelon is a massive part of Palestinian culture, featuring in many dishes and crossing into the art world where it has become a symbol of resistance. The red, green, white and black coloured fruit held in hand, depicted in art or posted as an emoji has also become a way for Palestinians and their supporters to protest against Israel.

We’ve been seeing the fruit featuring in social media posts across the internet ever since the the Gaza invasion began 20 days ago.

The use of the watermelon as a Palestinian symbol is not new. It first emerged in 1967, when Israel seized control of the West Bank and Gaza and annexed East Jerusalem. Following this, the Israeli government used a military order to make public displays of the Palestinian flag a criminal offence in Gaza and the West Bank.

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