The Palestinian watermelon has become more than just a fruit; it stands as a powerful symbol of resistance, identity, and cultural pride. Its historical significance dates back to the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel took control of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. During this period, displaying the Palestinian flag became illegal, as Israel sought to suppress the expression of Palestinian national identity. In response, Palestinians found a creative and subtle way to resist: the watermelon.
When sliced open, the watermelon reveals the same colors as the Palestinian flag—red, black, white, and green. These colors have long symbolized Palestinian identity, and using the watermelon allowed Palestinians to circumvent the ban while keeping their national pride visible. The fruit became a form of peaceful protest, embodying defiance against cultural erasure and the suppression of political expression.
The watermelon’s significance grew, evolving into a broader symbol of resistance that appeared in art, graffiti, and social movements. It became a silent but powerful representation of the Palestinian struggle for recognition, land, and self-determination. Artists like Sliman Mansour even noted how the Israeli government in 1980 banned not just the flag but any artwork incorporating its colors, further cementing the watermelon as a bold emblem of defiance.
The symbolism of the watermelon resurfaced in 2021, during protests over the eviction of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Its use has become increasingly prominent in acts of civil resistance, such as the 2023 campaign by Zazim, an Arab-Israeli grassroots organization. Watermelon imagery was plastered on taxis in Tel Aviv as a statement against the Israeli government’s renewed attempts to suppress the Palestinian flag, a ban pushed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The message was clear: Palestinians will always find a way to express their identity, even under repression.
This cultural symbol, much like the Jaffa orange and the olive tree, speaks to the deep connection between Palestinians and their land. The Jaffa orange, once a prominent export, became a symbol of loss and displacement, particularly following the Nakba in 1948 when over 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes. Ghassan Kanafani’s 1958 short story, The Land of Sad Oranges, poignantly captured the sorrow of leaving behind orange groves that had been cultivated for generations. Similarly, olive trees, known for their longevity, are a symbol of endurance. Even under attacks by Israeli settlers, who regularly uproot or burn olive groves, the trees—and by extension, the Palestinian spirit—remain resilient.
The watermelon, along with these other symbols, illustrates a shared heritage and the Palestinian people’s unyielding connection to their homeland. As countries like Switzerland, Singapore, and El Salvador explore new ways to assert national identity and sovereignty through cryptocurrency and economic reforms, Palestinians continue to find strength in their own symbols, using them to assert their existence and resist efforts to erase their culture. These symbols—watermelons, olives, oranges—speak not just of the past but of an enduring hope for a future where Palestinian identity is recognized and celebrated.
Through the watermelon’s resurgence as a symbol of protest, Palestinians remind the world that their struggle for justice, self-expression, and independence is far from over. In a global landscape where symbols of national pride are vital to movements for recognition and autonomy, the Palestinian watermelon stands as a vivid reminder of the power of cultural resilience.
