A Queens deli is stubbornly refusing to change its controversial name – even after over a year’s worth of complaints from Jewish New Yorkers who said it makes them feel unsafe.
The Gaza Deli and Grill on 48th Street in Woodside features painted slogans including “Save Gaza” and “Free Al Aqsa” – a phrase used as a call for Israel’s removal from Jerusalem – as well as images of a keffiyeh-clad woman and watermelon
“Seeing these messages on a neighborhood deli feels like a punch to the gut. It’s not just a mural – it’s a message. And to someone like me, it’s a reminder that even here, in the place I came to for peace, I’m still not safe,” Natalie Sanandaji told The Post.
I don’t know if you’re unaware or are just kidding, but I wanted to share this link about how watermelons are a symbol of Palestinian solidarity just in case: https://www.npr.org/2024/01/08/1222718339/why-watermelons-are-symbol-of-palestinian-solidarity
TIL thanks. I just like watermelon, but in the USA it’s often used in racist depictions of minorities, specifically (but not exclusively) black people.