Recently, actor Kani Kusruti posed with a watermelon clutch at the Cannes Film Festival, during the screening of her highly acclaimed All We Imagine As Light. The film won the Grand Prix award-the second highest award at the Cannes film festival.
- Amidst Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, this is being viewed as an expression of solidarity with Palestinians, with the humble watermelon long considered a symbol of their struggle.
- A watermelon when sliced shows the colours of the Palestinian flag — red, green, black, and white. This makes it a useful symbol of Palestinian identity, especially since carrying and displaying the Palestinian flag has often been barred by Israeli authorities following the six-day war in 1967.
- Watermelons are widely cultivated in Palestine, from the West Bank to Gaza, and feature prominently in Palestinian cuisine.
