Case Description
Due to a technical glitch, our public comments portal for cases related to the "From the River to the Sea" phrase closed earlier than planned. To ensure everyone has a chance to share their input, we've reopened it for 24 hours. The portal will now close at 12pm BST on May 23rd.
These three cases concern content decisions made by Meta, all on Facebook, which the Oversight Board intends to address together.
The three posts were shared by different users in November 2023, following the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7 and the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Each post contains the phrase “From the river to the sea.” All three were reported by users for violating Meta’s Community Standards. The company decided to leave all three posts on Facebook. For each case, the Board will decide whether the content should be removed under Meta’s policies and according to its human rights responsibilities. Numbers of views and reports are correct as of the end of February 2024.
The first case concerns a comment from a Facebook user on another user’s video. The video has a caption encouraging others to “speak up” with numerous hashtags including “#ceasefire” and “#freepalestine.” The comment on the post contains the phrase “FromTheRiverToTheSea” in hashtag form, as well as several additional hashtags including “#DefundIsrael.” The comment had about 3,000 views and was reported seven times by four users. The reports were closed after Meta’s automated systems did not send them for human review within 48 hours.
In the second case, a Facebook user posted what appears to be a generated image of fruit floating on the sea that form the words from the phrase, along with “Palestine will be free.” The post had about 8 million views and was reported 951 times by 937 users. The first report on the post was closed, again because Meta’s automated systems did not send it for human review within 48 hours. Subsequent reports by users were reviewed and assessed as non-violating by human moderators.
In the third case, a Facebook page reshared a post from the page of a community organization in Canada in which a statement from the “founding members” of the organization declared support for “the Palestinian people,” condemning their “senseless slaughter” by the “Zionist State of Israel” and “Zionist Israeli occupiers.” The post ends with the phrase “From The River To The Sea.” This post had less than 1,000 views and was reported by one user. The report was automatically closed.
The Facebook users who reported the content, and subsequently appealed Meta’s decisions to leave up the content to the Board, claimed the phrase was breaking Meta’s rules on Hate Speech, Violence and Incitement or Dangerous Organizations and Individuals. The user who reported the content in the first case stated that the phrase violates Meta’s policies prohibiting content that promotes violence or supports terrorism. The users who reported the content in the second and third cases stated that the phrase constitutes hate speech, is antisemitic and is a call to abolish the state of Israel.
After the Board selected these cases for review, Meta confirmed its original decisions were correct. Meta informed the Board that it analyzed the content under three policies – Violence and Incitement, Hate Speech and Dangerous Organizations and Individuals – and found the posts did not violate any of these policies. Meta explained the company is aware that “From the river to the sea” has a long history and that it had reviewed use of the phrase on its platform after October 7, 2023. After that review, Meta determined that, without additional context, it cannot conclude that “From the river to the sea” constitutes a call to violence or a call for exclusion of any particular group, nor that it is linked exclusively to support for Hamas.
The Board selected these cases to consider how Meta should moderate the use of the phrase given the resurgence in its use after October 7, 2023, and controversies around the phrase’s meaning. On the one hand, the phrase has been used to advocate for the dignity and human rights of Palestinians. On the other hand, it could have antisemitic implications, as claimed by the users who submitted the cases to the Board. This case falls within the Board’s strategic priority of Crisis and Conflict Situations.
The Board would appreciate public comments that address:
- The origin and current uses of the phrase: “From the river to the sea.”
- Research into online trends in content using the phrase.
- Research into any associated online and offline harms from the use of the phrase.
- Meta’s human rights responsibilities in relation to content using the phrase including freedom of expression, freedom of association, and equality and non-discrimination.
- State and institutional (e.g., university) responses to the use of the phrase (e.g., during protests) and the human rights impacts of those responses.
As part of its decisions, the Board can issue policy recommendations to Meta. While recommendations are not binding, Meta must respond to them within 60 days. As such, the Board welcomes public comments proposing recommendations that are relevant to these cases.
Comments
When people worldwide mindlessly chant "from the river to the sea" without comprehending its true meaning, they are unknowingly endorsing a call for genocide. These individuals are being deceived into believing that they are supporting a human rights campaign against the perceived corruption of Western leaders. However, the harsh reality is that they are being manipulated into lending their voices to the very extremist groups that advocate for the destruction of Israel and its people.
It is crucial to recognize that slogans like "from the river to the sea" are not mere expressions of political dissent but rather thinly veiled declarations of genocidal intent. By thoughtlessly echoing such rhetoric, well-meaning individuals risk becoming unwitting accomplices in the propagation of terrorist ideologies.
This phrase, from the river to the sea, is part of a broader propaganda campaign aimed at destroying Israel and establishing Islamic rule worldwide. Certain Palestinian groups and Islamist extremists have openly declared their intention to bring about the extinction of the State of Israel and its Jewish population , living between the jordan river in the east to the meditternian sea in the west, but than to eliminate all jews and beyond. They have also stated that "the west is next," revealing their ambitions that extend far beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These extremists are unwilling to engage in meaningful dialogue or accept any proposed two-state solution, rejecting the principles of democracy and liberty. Aiming to enforce sharia laws on the whole world and execute whomever is not obeying them as they already did in arab countries, some african countries and more.
To prevent the normalization of such dangerous narratives, it is imperative to educate ourselves, question the underlying motives behind seemingly innocuous slogans, and resolutely refuse to provide any form of support or legitimacy to those who advocate for violence, hatred, and the eradication of entire nations and peoples.
Chanting from the river to sea is a genocidal call to destroy an entire nation. It constitutes unlawful hate speech that is threatening and incites violence.
PLEASE BAN POSTS THAT INCLUDE “FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA”..this is promoting genocide of Jews and is abhorrent
Here's what I wrote under the part to input your public comment. Feel free to copy/ paste:
"From the river to the Sea" has one meaning and one meaning only. It refers to the complete destruction of the Jewish state of Israel in favor of creating a Palestinian one that would overtake the only safe country for Jews anywhere in the world - - Israel. It's the Palestinian claim to the ENTIRE piece of land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. This phrase is extremely offensive and frankly frightening to Jews everywhere, as it signals our complete death and destruction.
By continuing to allow this phrase to live on Facebook, you are enabling anti-Semitism to grow and fester on your platform, fomenting hate and driving further division in our society. Please take a strong stand against this.
This statement means killing of all Jewish people from the Jordan Rover to the Mediterranean Sea in Israel. It is blatantly antisemitic and is a call for violence and ultimately, death. It is not a political statement.. it's a violent promise to kill and eradicate Jews from Israel. This statement must be removed and not allowed .. period.
When Jews hear this statement, we are scared and most who chant this slogan don't actually know what it means or the carbage and death it represents..
I urge you to take action not allowing this statement to keep prevailing.
Ty
I think this phrase means destruction of a country and the Jewish people and should be prohibited.
1. Originated in a terrorist organization (Hamas) charter.
2. Palestine was a name the Roman gave to the region that included 'Eretz Israel', but no Palestinian State.
3. This phrase is calling for the creation of a new Palestinian state in place of the existing state of Israel, that means the genocide of all Israelis (of all denominations).
4. This phrase is calling for the destruction of Israel, as an Anti-Zionist call that rejects the right of Jews for self-determibation and security.
5. It is Antisemitic and a recist call for violence.
6. It is prohibitive to a peace agreement in the region.
The slogan "From the river to the Sea" calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, that annihilation or expulsion of all Israelis. Effectively, it calls for a genocide or, at least, a very bloody war in which all Israelis would be pushed out of their homes and be killed or expelled.
The chant is not a call for peace, is not a call for coexistance, is definitely not recognizing the right of every group to exist, live in peace and flourish.
It should be barred from public discourse.
This phrase meaning is not liberating palestine.
It is a call to destory all of israel.
It is not a call fro peace and the two state solution.
It is a call to kill all israelies and a one state solution called palestine.
It is similar to a israel stating that gazza strip and yehuda and summeria should be a part of israel and all palestiniens living there should be killed.
"From the river to the SEA" has one meaning and one meaning only. It refers to the complete destruction of the Jewish state of Israel in favor of creating a Palestinian one that would overtake the only safe country for Jews anywhere in the world - - Israel. This phrase is extremely offensive and frankly frightening to Jews everywhere, as it signals our complete death and destruction. By continuing to allow this phrase to live on facebook, you are enabling anti-Semitism to grow and fester on your platform, fomenting hate and driving further division in our society. Please take a strong stand against this.
Those who proclaim "from the river to the sea" are proclaiming that Israel should cease to exist. This is genocidal and should be considered hate speech. There is alot of misinformation out there, propaganda and psychological manipulation by Hamas & other terror groups. We shouldn't believe everything they say. They are trying to divide the democratic Western countries and fill the minds of our youth and the uninformed with lies. This should be banned from Meta platforms immediately.
The context of the comments should be viewed with respect to history and meaning that underpin them. This is instead viewed and portrayed as a fancy chant. People chanting this are the ones promoting ge)(*)(ide, whilst claiming to be on the side of equality and human rights.
This is evident since their bed fellows are listed a T)(*()*T organisations, whose actions they not only claim to condemn, yet glorify. How much more evidence does one need. Just zoom out and look at the facts. If Meta and other social media and MSM platforms actually care for "freedoms" and "western / liberal" values, they should practice what they preach and separate freedom of speech from hate speech. Thank you for your time in reading this. May there be peace and justice for all; however, there are currently no peace partners to negotiate peace with. Hope this will change one day.
“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” is an open call for the complete annihilation of the State of Israel and its citizens.
This is 100% genocidal hate speech that advocates for the destruction of the one and only Jewish state and the mass murder of its Jewish population.
Now is our opportunity to ensure that Meta upholds its responsibility to combat antisemitism on its platform.
Remove these posts and don't allow this type of material to be shared on your platform... Thank you!
Hi,
I have a specialism in how to be a decent person, and I want to remind the powers that be at Facebook of what can happen when we, the people, decide that enough is enough. Remember what happened with Gamestock? Remember what happened when we decided we’d had enough of the apartheid in South Africa?
If you decide to suppress the voices of the dying men, women, and children who are being massacred by the thousand, considering the very clear public sentiment, I don’t know how much money Facebook will lose, but I am telling you now, it will be significant.
Social Media users are just starting to realise that we actually have a significant amount of power; we can take away your advertising revenue, and worse still, we can take away our data.
We no longer want to contribute to a Genocide. We will not support companies that feel like that is the side of history they want to be on.
Free Palestine. Now.
I find it super offensive, and also anti-sematic. after the holocaust we thought never again, but it looks like never again- is now. the meaning of this sentence - is that all jews need to be dead. if someone would said it on black people everyone would go out to the street.
This phrase has for many years meant support for the elimination of both the State of Israel and the worldwide Jewish population. While some people have recently started using it in English without an appreciation for this history, and perhaps mean it in support of a peaceful resolution to the current Israel-Hamas conflict and/or the general recognition of Palestine rights to an independent state, this does not erase the meaning that it conveys in English and Arabic for Jews and for many terrorist groups and Arab nations surrounding Israel whose openly avowed purpose is to kill all Jews and eliminate Israel.
Posts that include "from the river to the sea Palestine should be free" are a clear call for murder of almost 7 million Jews living between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a clear hate talk and is a sentence invented by Hamas to delegitimize Israel.
The origin and current uses of the phrase: “From the river to the sea.
Human rights responsibilities in relation to content using the phrase including freedom of expression, freedom of association, and equality and non-discrimination.
The use of the phrase: “Intifada”.
Vocabulary that incites violence or death.
The phrase “ from the river to the sea” calls for the Genocide of the Jews that live in Israel and therefore should be forbidden from use anywhere and particularly on social media. While we enjoy the right for freedom of speech in the USA it does not include incitement for violence. This phrase is a clear and unambiguous reference for the complete annihilation of the Jewish State of Israel which lies between the River and the Sea, therefore it is clearly inciting for violence and should not be allowed to be used on any posts.
The House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning a pro-Palestinian activist chant : “from the river to the sea palatine will be free” as antisemitic .
The phrase "From the river to the sea" is a pro-Palestinian liberation phrase that has been used by Hamas , terrorist organization, and other anti-Israel actors as a call to arms against the Jewish nation.
Israel is the only Jewish nation in the world and it has the right to exist and its citizens have the right to live in peace .
You must stop the hatred and antisemitism now
The statement, "From the river to the sea palestine will be free," is a call to genocide. The PA has said straight a long that no Jew would ever be allowed to live in its territory. That means for that chant to occur, all Jews would have to leave Israel, driven into the sea. Groups like Hamas use the phrase and they are open in admitting they wish to annihilate every Jew on earth. So, when they call for the entire of Israel to become a palestinian state, all Jews will need to be murdered. That is genocide. Hamas has demonstrated how serious they are about it on October 7, and since then. They have also been honest in stating that they will do what they did again and again and again.
Israel has been the Jewish homeland for almost 4000 years. To call for 'the river to the sea' to be palestine is to call for the extermination of all Jews. It is as much hate speech as it is possible to be.