How watermelon imagery has spread Palestinian solidarity around the planet

In Amman, Jordan, a woman wears a shirt with an image of watermelon during a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Photo: Reuters

Over the past three months, on banners and T-shirts and balloons and social media posts, one piece of imagery has emerged around the world in protests against the Israel-Hamas war: the watermelon.

The colours of sliced watermelon – with red pulp, green-white rind and black seeds – are the same as those on the Palestinian flag. From New York and Tel Aviv to Dubai and Belgrade, the fruit has become a symbol of solidarity, drawing together activists who don’t speak the same language or belong to the same culture but share a common cause.