How the watermelon became a global Pro-Palestinian symbol

Over the last three months, the watermelon image has emerged worldwide as a symbol of a pro-Palestinian stance.

Watermelons' colors (red pulp, green-white rind, black seeds) match the Palestinian flag, prompting use globally in protests.

Historical context ties the watermelon to non-violent protest, originating after the 1967 war due to the Palestinian flag's prohibition by Israeli officials.

Israeli law prohibited the use of Palestinian flag colors, leading protesters to use watermelons as a form of silent protest.

Recently, social media platforms have reportedly exhibited biases in content moderation, affecting expressions about Palestinians, prompting activists to use emojis and images like the watermelon as a workaround.

The watermelon emoji and art from protests entered mainstream awareness, also aming Jewish groups, in Israel and elsewhere.

Star power boosted the watermelon symbol's visibility when Violet Affleck, the daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, wore a T-shirt with the image.

The media exposure that followed boosted the sales Wear The Peace's "Freedom Melon" crewneck [Suntimes]

Starbucks faced backlash due to mistaken associations with the watermelon symbol and the Palestinian cause in the online sphere.

The watermelon symbol extends to support for a ceasefire in Gaza and resilience ("They wanted to bury us; they didn't know we were seeds.").

The watermelon image is used by the group Jewish Voice for Peace and watermelon stickers are used by Israeli activist group Zazim as a response to the banning of Palestinian flags.

A variety of emotive and symbolic references (keys, spoons, olives, doves, poppies, keffiyeh scarf) have also been associated with Palestinian support and recognized globally.