Social media users have been using the watermelon emoji to show support for Palestine amid its conflict with Israel.
History of watermelon symbol and Palestine
As per reports, the watermelon was first used as a symbol of Palestine unity in 1967 when the Israeli government banned the use of the Palestine flag and marked it as a public offense in Gaza and the West Bank.
However, people found a way to fight the banning and started using watermelon as a symbol because when cut open the fruit has the same colors as a Palestine flag, that is, red, black, white, and green.
In 1993, the ban was removed as part of the Oslo Accords. Despite this, people have not forgotten the importance the symbol held during the time of war.
How the watermelon emoji is being used in 2023
Tensions started rising between Israel and Palestine again in 2023 when in January Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir gave police the authority to confiscate Palestinian flags. Amid this, people started using the watermelon symbol again.
Fast forward to June, a bill was passed to stop people from displaying the flag. However, it only passed the preliminary stage and was dismissed later on.
With the Israel-Palestine conflict continuing, social media users have started using the watermelon emoji to remind people about what has happened in Palestine in the past.
Recent updates in the Palestine-Israel conflict
Recently, the Israeli ministry confirmed that they were expanding operations in Gaza. It was also reported that mobile phone services and the internet had been cut off due to Israeli bombardment.
Seeing the condition in Gaza, the UN secretary-general that the current aid regime is slowing the process as it is taking longer for food and other materials to reach people.
The situation is likely to get intense as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant noted that the ground invasion could be going on for a long time.
