
“Bismillaahir-rahmaanir raheem”
(In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful)
Watermelon Wednesday is a weekly brief shared with our elected officials to ensure they are aware of Israel’s aggression, the Palestinian experience, and our country’s complicity in this genocide and international war crimes.
TL;DR:
- >500 Gazans killed this week as Israel continues its offensive on Gaza City, shutting down hospitals and leveling residential buildings.
- At the UN General Assembly, nearly a dozen Western countries recognize Palestine’s statehood, and several more explicitly push for peace in Gaza.
- The global civilian push grows, as Denmark divests, Italians march and block ports, and as Italy, Spain, and Greece support the threatened Sumud Flotilla.
- Trump simultaneously condemns Palestinian statehood and Palestinian annexation, as his administration continues suppressing free speech.
Takeaways:
- While politicians bicker, Gazans continue being slaughtered overseas.
- The US is isolated against the world’s support of Palestine.
- The Flotilla, with Americans on board, is under threat and needs US support.
- Trump’s administration preaches peace but acts against it.
As your constituents we urge you to:
- Push for de-escalation in Gaza City.
- Join the world in recognizing Palestinian statehood.
- Call for US defense of its citizens aboard the Flotilla.
- Protect freedom of speech in America.
- Divest from Israel-supporting businesses.
Diplomacy Amid Demolition
- As Netanyahu preaches cooperation overseas, Israel continues level Gaza
- >500 Gazans killed this week, concentrated in Gaza City:
- 9/21 – >68 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/22 – >37 Gazans killed, many in Gaza City. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/23 – >36 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/24 – >85 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/25 – >57 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/26 – >60 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/27 – >91 Gazans killed, many in Gaza City. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/22 – UNRWA report: [UNRWA]
- >1M displaced since March 18th
- >65,062 Gazans killed since Oct 7th
- 995 Palestinians in West Bank killed since Oct 7th
- 9/21 – Israeli drone strike kills 5 people, including 3 children, in southern Lebanon. [Reuters]
- 9/22 – 2 Gaza City hospitals taken out of service due to escalation of Israel’s ground offensive. [Reuters]
- 9/24 – Israeli forces shoot dead a 19-year-old during a raid near Jenin. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/25 – Israeli forces advance deeper into Gaza City as Netanyahu heads to New York. [Reuters]
- 9/26 – Community kitchens and health clinics have closed and vital flows of food have slowed in Gaza. [Reuters]
- >500 Gazans killed this week, concentrated in Gaza City:

Citizens of Gaza City have been forced to flee south into tent cities. [Reuters]
Statehood and Seafarers
- Israel and the US isolated at the UN General Assembly
- The following Western countries just recognized Palestinian statehood:
- UK [Reuters]
- Canada [Reuters]
- Australia [Reuters]
- Portugal [Reuters]
- Malta [Al Jazeera]
- France [Al Jazeera]
- Andorra [Al Jazeera]
- Belgium [Al Jazeera]
- Luxembourg [Al Jazeera]
- Monaco [Al Jazeera]
- The following have called for peace in Gaza at the UN General Assembly:
- Turkey
- Qatar
- Jordan
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Senegal
- Malta
- EU
- The US
- Etc.
- 9/22 – Singapore to impose targeted sanctions on leaders of Israeli settler groups. [Reuters]
- 9/25 – The Palestinian Authority’s President was forced to deliver his address to the UNGA via video. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/26 – Slovenia imposed a travel ban on Netanyahu. [Reuters]
- The following Western countries just recognized Palestinian statehood:
- The Flotilla inches closer as the international community reacts to support
- 9/22 – Tens of thousands march on Rome and dockworkers block ports in solidarity with Palestine. [Reuters]
- 9/24 – Danish fund manager AkademikerPension excludes Israeli state assets from its investment portfolio. [Reuters]
- 9/24 – Global Sumud Flotilla organizers reported hearing explosions and seeing multiple drone attacks from their boats. [Al Jazeera]
- 9/25 – Italy and Spain deploy naval ships to assist the Global Sumud Flotilla. [Reuters]
- 9/25 – Greece to guarantee safe passage of Flotilla boats currently in its waters. [Reuters]
- 9/26 – Switzerland plans to take ~20 injured Gazan children for medical treatment. [Reuters]

The Global Sumud Flotilla civilian aid ship was illegally hit by drone attacks, as countries show support. [Al Jazeera]
America Isolated
- Dissonance as Trump decries pro-Palestinian sentiment, but opposes annexation
- 9/23 – Trump showed isolation as the US was the only major Western power to decry recognition of Palestinian statehood. [Reuters]
- 9/25 – Trump said he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. We need politicians to support this claim. [Reuters]
- 9/25 – Microsoft disabled some services used by the Israeli military due to its mass surveillance of Palestinian phone calls. [Reuters]
- 9/27 – US to revoke the Colombian President’s visa after he participated in a pro-Palestine celebration. [Reuters]

While opposing West Bank annexation, Trump condemns the wave of recognition of Palestinian statehood. [Al Jazeera]