Why Has the 'Heukbaekjeoknok' Watermelon Become a Symbol of Support for Palestine?

"Cutting reveals colors like the Palestinian flag"
Usage began following the 1967 flag ban decree

Since the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas began, the summer fruit 'watermelon' has frequently appeared in pro-Palestinian protests and Palestinian-related social media posts around the world. What is the connection between watermelon and Palestine?

According to US media Axios and Time on the 16th (local time), the use of watermelon as a symbol of Palestinian solidarity dates back to 1967. At that time, Israel, which militarily occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 'Six-Day War,' banned the raising and display of the Palestinian flag entirely.

Palestinian flag
Photo source=Pixabay

The Palestinian flag consists of white, red, green, and black colors, and Israel arrested not only those who displayed the flag but also those who possessed items containing these colors. In resistance, Palestinians began carrying sliced watermelons, which contain all the colors black, white, red, and green. Watermelon is also part of Palestinian culinary culture, cultivated in the Middle East for centuries.

Palestinians placed watermelons on window sills, and Palestinian artists created artworks featuring watermelons. Since then, watermelon has emerged as a symbol of resistance in Palestine.

After the Oslo Accords in 1993, which included the withdrawal of Israeli troops and Palestinian autonomy, Israel lifted the ban on the Palestinian flag. However, since then, watermelon has firmly established itself as a representative symbol of Palestinian solidarity.

Watermelon Appearing in Pro-Palestine SNS Post [Image Source=Facebook Capture]

Watermelon also appeared in protests following the 2021 Israeli court order to evict Palestinian families living in the Sheikh Jarrah Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, and after the full-scale war between Israel and Hamas on the 7th of last month, watermelon has been revived by pro-Palestinian supporters.

Pro-Palestinian protesters drew watermelons on placards demanding expanded Palestinian rights and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and at protest sites in Indonesia and elsewhere, watermelons were cut and shared. Some artists participated in supporting Palestine by presenting works inspired by watermelon.

Recently, watermelon has appeared in social media video filters on platforms like TikTok, gaining popularity among pro-Palestinian users. The TikTok user who created the filter announced that the proceeds from the filter would be donated to charities helping the Gaza Strip. Some social media users also use watermelon emojis to avoid potential censorship of pro-Palestinian posts.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.