How Watermelons Became Symbol of Palestinian Resistance on Social Media

A Twitter user posted an image of a watermelon used in support of Palestine. Captured from Twitter.

If you encounter a watermelon image or emoji on social media, it might be best to think twice before hitting ‘like.’ Watermelons have emerged as a symbol of Palestine and a means to circumvent censorship. The color combination is similar to the Palestinian flag, and the symbol originated from the popularity of watermelon dishes in the Gaza Strip. The shape of a halved watermelon also draws attention to its resemblance to the Islamic symbol of the crescent moon.

On the 12th (local time), the American IT magazine TechCrunch reported, “On Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), watermelon emojis are replacing words like ‘Palestine’ and ‘Gaza Strip’. Users supporting Palestinian independence prominently display watermelons on their profiles and at the top of their feeds.”

Palestinians have long used watermelons as a ‘symbol of resistance.’ This behavior originated from the watermelons’ color composition and shape, reminding them of Palestine. The Palestinian flag is black, white, green, and red, the same colors as watermelon seeds, stripes, rind, and flesh. Watermelons are also commonly used in Palestinian cuisine. The food-focused media Bon Appétit recently reported, “Watermelons, originally from North Africa, have commonly been used in Levantine cuisine. ‘Fatet ajer,’ a dish of unripe watermelon, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes cooked and served on bread, is one of the most popular foods in the southern Gaza Strip.”

A Twitter user posted an image of a watermelon used in support of Palestine. Captured from Twitter.

During the period from 1967 to 1993, when Israel banned the use of the Palestinian flag, watermelons were reportedly used as a substitute. This year, after the Israeli government once again banned the use of the Palestinian flag and countries friendly to Israel, such as the UK, criminalized the use of the Palestinian flag, images, and emojis of watermelons have once again spread via social media.

After the start of the Israel-Palestine conflict, censorship of explicit political messages on social media has intensified, making the use of watermelon emojis even more common. TechCrunch commented, “Just as the porn industry has circumvented censorship with the corn emoji, watermelons are now being used as a ‘euphemism’ on the internet. Just as the olive tree is widely known as a symbol of Israel, the watermelon is now establishing itself as a symbol of Palestinian nationalism.”