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[[File:دوار البطيخة جنين.jpg|thumb|236x236px|Watermelon sculpture at a [[roundabout]] in [[Jenin]], [[State of Palestine|Palestine]] (January 2021)]]
[[File:دوار البطيخة جنين.jpg|thumb|236x236px|Watermelon sculpture at a [[roundabout]] in [[Jenin]], [[State of Palestine|Palestine]] (January 2021)]]
[[Watermelon]] is a [[List of national symbols of Palestine|symbol]] of [[Palestinians]]' public expression in [[Intifada|protest]]s and [[Palestinian art|artwork]]s representing the [[Palestinian nationalism|struggle]] against the [[Israeli occupation]] of the [[Palestinian territories]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Watermelon: A slice of Palestinian resistance |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/watermelon-slice-palestinian-resistance |work=Middle East Eye |date=17 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharon |first1=Jeremy |title=Activists use watermelons to protest police crackdown on Palestinian flags |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/activists-use-watermelons-to-protest-police-crackdown-on-palestinian-flags/ |work=The Times of Israel |date=21 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Weldali |first1=Maria |title=Watermelon becomes symbol of Palestinian existence, resistance |url=https://jordantimes.com/news/local/watermelon-becomes-symbol-palestinian-existence-resistance |work=Jordan Times |date=4 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hisham |first1=Passant |title=How the watermelon symbolizes Palestinian resistance |url=https://kuwaittimes.com/how-the-watermelon-symbolizes-palestinian-resistance/ |work=Kuwait Times |date=19 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
The [[watermelon]] is a [[List of national symbols of Palestine|symbol]] of [[Palestinians]]' public expression in [[Intifada|protest]]s and [[Palestinian art|artwork]]s representing the [[Palestinian nationalism|struggle]] against the [[Israeli occupation]] of the [[Palestinian territories]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Watermelon: A slice of Palestinian resistance |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/watermelon-slice-palestinian-resistance |work=Middle East Eye |date=17 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharon |first1=Jeremy |title=Activists use watermelons to protest police crackdown on Palestinian flags |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/activists-use-watermelons-to-protest-police-crackdown-on-palestinian-flags/ |work=The Times of Israel |date=21 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Weldali |first1=Maria |title=Watermelon becomes symbol of Palestinian existence, resistance |url=https://jordantimes.com/news/local/watermelon-becomes-symbol-palestinian-existence-resistance |work=Jordan Times |date=4 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hisham |first1=Passant |title=How the watermelon symbolizes Palestinian resistance |url=https://kuwaittimes.com/how-the-watermelon-symbolizes-palestinian-resistance/ |work=Kuwait Times |date=19 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref>


== Origins ==
== Origins ==
The [[Palestinian flag]] coloured red, green, white and black, has historically been banned at times in [[Israel]] so the locally grown and similarly coloured watermelon has served in Palestinian iconography as an alternative for decades.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Miriam |title=Why Palestinians are uniting around watermelon emoji |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/09/palestinian-watermelons/ |work=Washington Post |date=12 July 2021}}</ref> Following the [[1967 Arab-Israeli War]], Israel banned the display of the Palestinian flag and its colours in the [[Gaza Strip]], the [[West Bank]] and annexed [[East Jerusalem]] with the [[Israeli army]] arresting anyone who displayed it.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sella |first1=Adam |title=The fruits and vegetables of Palestine and their significance |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2023/8/31/the-fruits-of-palestine-and-their-symbolism |work=Al Jazeera |date=31 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chaves |first1=Alexandra |title=How the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/how-the-watermelon-became-a-symbol-of-palestinian-resistance-1.1230806 |work=The National |date=30 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
The [[Palestinian flag]] coloured red, green, white and black, has historically been banned at times in [[Israel]] so the locally grown and similarly coloured watermelon has served in Palestinian iconography as a euphemistic alternative for decades.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Miriam |title=Why Palestinians are uniting around watermelon emoji |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/09/palestinian-watermelons/ |work=Washington Post |date=12 July 2021}}</ref> Following the [[1967 Arab-Israeli War]], Israel banned the display of the Palestinian flag and its colours in the [[Gaza Strip]], the [[West Bank]] and annexed [[East Jerusalem]] with the [[Israeli army]] arresting anyone who displayed it.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sella |first1=Adam |title=The fruits and vegetables of Palestine and their significance |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2023/8/31/the-fruits-of-palestine-and-their-symbolism |work=Al Jazeera |date=31 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chaves |first1=Alexandra |title=How the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/how-the-watermelon-became-a-symbol-of-palestinian-resistance-1.1230806 |work=The National |date=30 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref>


In 1993, as part of the [[Oslo Accords]], Israel lifted the ban on the Palestinian flag.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Syed |first1=Armani |title=How the Watermelon Became a Symbol of Palestinian Solidarity |url=https://time.com/6326312/watermelon-palestinian-symbol-solidarity/ |work=TIME |date=20 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> At that time, the [[The New York Times|New York Times]] claimed "young men were once arrested for carrying sliced watermelons,"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kifner |first1=John |date=1993-10-16 |title=Ramallah Journal; A Palestinian Version of the Judgment of Solomon |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/16/world/ramallah-journal-a-palestinian-version-of-the-judgment-of-solomon.html |quote=In the Gaza Strip, where young men were once arrested for carrying sliced watermelons—thus displaying the red, black and green Palestinian colors—soldiers stand by, blasé, as processions march by waving the once-banned flag}}</ref> but Palestinian artist [[Sliman Mansour]] cast doubt on the validity of these claims. He remembers a conversation about it, but does not recall any actual watermelon iconography being used until 2007 when Khaled Hourani created an image for a "Subjective Atlas of Palestine" project. Other artists who have used the watermelon include Sarah Hatahet, Sami Boukhari, Aya Mobaydeen and Beesan Arafat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaves |first=Alexandra |date=2021-05-30 |title=How the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/how-the-watermelon-became-a-symbol-of-palestinian-resistance-1.1230806 |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref>
In 1993, as part of the [[Oslo Accords]], Israel lifted the ban on the Palestinian flag.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Syed |first1=Armani |title=How the Watermelon Became a Symbol of Palestinian Solidarity |url=https://time.com/6326312/watermelon-palestinian-symbol-solidarity/ |work=TIME |date=20 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> At that time, the [[The New York Times|New York Times]] claimed "young men were once arrested for carrying sliced watermelons,"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kifner |first1=John |date=1993-10-16 |title=Ramallah Journal; A Palestinian Version of the Judgment of Solomon |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/16/world/ramallah-journal-a-palestinian-version-of-the-judgment-of-solomon.html |quote=In the Gaza Strip, where young men were once arrested for carrying sliced watermelons—thus displaying the red, black and green Palestinian colors—soldiers stand by, blasé, as processions march by waving the once-banned flag}}</ref> but Palestinian artist [[Sliman Mansour]] cast doubt on the validity of these claims. He remembers a conversation about it, but does not recall any actual watermelon iconography being used until 2007 when Khaled Hourani created an image for a "Subjective Atlas of Palestine" project. Other artists who have used the watermelon include Sarah Hatahet, Sami Boukhari, Aya Mobaydeen and Beesan Arafat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaves |first=Alexandra |date=2021-05-30 |title=How the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/how-the-watermelon-became-a-symbol-of-palestinian-resistance-1.1230806 |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref>

==Hakeem Jeffries flyer controversy==

The New York City chapter of the [[Democratic Socialists of America]] came under criticism in November 2023 for including an image of a watermelon in a flyer promoting a protest against African American U.S. Representative [[Hakeem Jeffries]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Jackson |title=NYC dem socialists under fire for watermelon flier aimed at Black congressman |url=https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/new-york-city-socialist-group-under-fire-for-watermelon-flier-aimed-at-rep-hakeem-jeffries-they-went-with-the-dog-whistle-congress-politics-nyc-democratic-socialists-of-america-dsa-viral-trending-post-social-media-gaza-israel-ceasefire |work=ABC15 News |date=16 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> In the United States, the watermelon has long been used as a [[watermelon stereotype|racist stereotype]] by white supremacists.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Black |first1=William |title=How Watermelons Became a Racist Trope |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/12/how-watermelons-became-a-racist-trope/383529/ |work=The Atlantic |date=8 December 2014 |language=en}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 01:54, 22 November 2023

Watermelon sculpture at a roundabout in Jenin, Palestine (January 2021)

The watermelon is a symbol of Palestinians' public expression in protests and artworks representing the struggle against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.[1][2][3][4]

Origins

The Palestinian flag coloured red, green, white and black, has historically been banned at times in Israel so the locally grown and similarly coloured watermelon has served in Palestinian iconography as a euphemistic alternative for decades.[5] Following the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel banned the display of the Palestinian flag and its colours in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem with the Israeli army arresting anyone who displayed it.[6][7]

In 1993, as part of the Oslo Accords, Israel lifted the ban on the Palestinian flag.[8] At that time, the New York Times claimed "young men were once arrested for carrying sliced watermelons,"[9] but Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour cast doubt on the validity of these claims. He remembers a conversation about it, but does not recall any actual watermelon iconography being used until 2007 when Khaled Hourani created an image for a "Subjective Atlas of Palestine" project. Other artists who have used the watermelon include Sarah Hatahet, Sami Boukhari, Aya Mobaydeen and Beesan Arafat.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Watermelon: A slice of Palestinian resistance". Middle East Eye. 17 August 2022.
  2. ^ Sharon, Jeremy (21 June 2023). "Activists use watermelons to protest police crackdown on Palestinian flags". The Times of Israel.
  3. ^ Weldali, Maria (4 August 2021). "Watermelon becomes symbol of Palestinian existence, resistance". Jordan Times.
  4. ^ Hisham, Passant (19 October 2023). "How the watermelon symbolizes Palestinian resistance". Kuwait Times.
  5. ^ Berger, Miriam (12 July 2021). "Why Palestinians are uniting around watermelon emoji". Washington Post.
  6. ^ Sella, Adam (31 August 2023). "The fruits and vegetables of Palestine and their significance". Al Jazeera.
  7. ^ Chaves, Alexandra (30 May 2021). "How the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance". The National.
  8. ^ Syed, Armani (20 October 2023). "How the Watermelon Became a Symbol of Palestinian Solidarity". TIME.
  9. ^ Kifner, John (1993-10-16). "Ramallah Journal; A Palestinian Version of the Judgment of Solomon". The New York Times. In the Gaza Strip, where young men were once arrested for carrying sliced watermelons—thus displaying the red, black and green Palestinian colors—soldiers stand by, blasé, as processions march by waving the once-banned flag
  10. ^ Chaves, Alexandra (2021-05-30). "How the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance". The National. Retrieved 2023-11-19.