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
This slogan is inherently hateful and was created to express a genocidal intent to eliminate Jews and Jewish self-government from the region of the middle east which lies between the river Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. To say otherwise is a disingenuous attempt to re-write the intent of the slogan's origin, and in some cases, an attempt to rewrite the history and definition of the Jewish religion and people to deny Jewish continuous presence in that region, and to erase the omnipresence of the region's significance in nearly every Jewish religious and cultural practice.
From the river to the sea is a call for a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea territory which includes the current State of Israel, which would mean the dismantling of the Jewish state, thus removing the Jewish right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, typically by any means (often violent) necessary- including that of intifadas and October 7th as many times over as necessary to achieve this outcome.
"From the River to the Sea" is a chant by "Palestinians" calling for the destruction of the sovereign country Israel and essentially for the genocide of Israeli Jews. That chant had no place in any public forum. It's racist and it's hate speech.
The definition of Genocide according to international law is:
"a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious
group, in whole or in part."
Calling for a Palestine from the River to the Sea fulfills half of the definition of Genocide. It is a clear call for the total and utter destruction of the nation of Israel.
I don't think these posts necessarily violate the rules of hate speech. But I think that any posts or responses to these posts which encourage criminal or violent acts along with calls for "River to the Sea" should be seen as incitement toward Genocide and need to be removed as hate speech.
“From the River to the Sea” indicates the eradication of Israel and the turning over of land - what is now the state of Israel - to the Palestinians. It does not indicate a two-state or democratic or peaceful solution to the conflict. It is a slogan that erases the State of Israel, is threatening to Israelis and those in the Jewish Diaspora who regard Israel as their homeland or home.
The phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is a Hamas-backed slogan calling not just for the destruction of Israel, but for the death and decimation of the Jewish people.
If we look at this phrase technically, "from the River to the Sea" is but a geographical demarcation that usually references the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean sea. Nothing more, nothing less. However what's important, especially in the current environment, are the political and ideological implications of what is being referenced when we hear that phrase. It is almost axiomatically followed by "Palestine will be Free", an implication that there is a Palestine that is not free and that it should be free. The fear and concern come not by what is said but by what is implied: Who is this "Palestine"? Who must it be free from? Who must free them?What does "freed" mean?
In the current context, the fact that this chant is being sung as loud as ever right after the invasion and mass murder of Jews from Israel by Hamas can give us a hint. The clear implications are that the Jewish State is illegitimate, it must be dismantled - if necessary by ethnic cleansing, which is exactly what Hamas is mandated with doing - in order to free the "legitimate" people of Palestine, namely the mostly Muslim Arab Palestinians who are perceived as being an oppressed people in their land.
This one-sided and dangerous chant, as catchy as it might sound, is based on extremely false assumptions and has helped create a sense of normalization of the possibility - and even legitimacy - of the erradication of a democratic state, established by the UN, which happens to be the only Jewish state in the world. And because of the strong connection the Jewish community has with the Jewish state, this phrase is also being used as a way of targeting and attacking local Jewish communities around the world.
While I am sure many who use this chant might not actually hope for the ethnic cleansing of Jews between "the river and the sea" that is exactly the expressly intended goal of so many community organizing leaders, as was clearly shown with the celebrations and inexplicable justification of the atrocities of October 7 2023.
I believe this chant, especially when used with its second half, is profoundly antisemitic as it denies Jews their legitimacy as an indigenous people in their homeland who actually decolonized it from the British occupying power. And it denies Jews their right to self determination, right that is so undisputedly protected when referring to all other nations.
"From the river to the sea" should be protected speech allowed on all Meta Platforms. It is an aspirational chant for Palestinians to live in a free country for everyone regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or any other protected category. It is a pluralistic value to have a country where everyone is free, just as people want the United States to be a country where freedom reigns "from sea to shining sea."
Unfortunately, the status quo between the river and the sea now is a country where people have citizenship or non-citizenship, people live as occupiers or occupied, people live with rights or without rights because of their religion. That is something that should change.
The phrase "from the river to the sea" has gained notoriety in recent times due to its usage in contexts that promote anti-Semitic sentiments. While it may initially seem innocuous, a deeper examination reveals its underlying connotations and implications. The slogan essentially calls for the elimination of the State of Israel and the expulsion of Jews from the entire territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
At its core, advocating for the elimination of Israel equates to denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination and sovereignty in their ancestral homeland. This negation of Jewish presence and rights in Israel is inherently anti-Semitic, as it seeks to marginalize and delegitimize the Jewish state.
Furthermore, the phrase "from the river to the sea" ignores the complex realities of the region, including the diverse populations and legitimate claims to land and resources. It promotes a one-sided narrative that disregards the existence and rights of Jewish Israelis, contributing to an atmosphere of hostility and intolerance.
Similarly, the term "globalize the Intifada" carries dangerous implications that go beyond mere advocacy for Palestinian rights or resistance against occupation. The Intifada, which refers to periods of Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule, has unfortunately been associated with violence and terrorism targeting Israeli civilians, including numerous deadly attacks.
By advocating to "globalize the Intifada," individuals are essentially endorsing and promoting the use of violence, including acts of terrorism, against Jews worldwide. This blatant incitement to violence against a specific ethnic or religious group is not only reprehensible but also constitutes hate speech under any reasonable interpretation.
In conclusion, both the slogan "from the river to the sea" and the call to "globalize the Intifada" should be unequivocally condemned as expressions of hate speech and anti-Semitism. These phrases not only promote the expulsion and violence against Jews but also undermine efforts for peace, coexistence, and mutual respect in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is imperative that such rhetoric be recognized as a violation of meta guidelines and actively opposed in order to foster a climate of tolerance, understanding, and dialogue.
It’s very simple, “from the river to the sea” connotes the complete destruction of the state of Israel, and the total displacement of Jews from their homeland.
Here are two videos which show that this phrase is NOT ambiguous, and should be banned just like any anti-black or anti-LGBTQ sentiment is.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5ocDyVaMt8
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgwtQlwK-hA
"From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free," refers to the area from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. This area currently includes Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
Many Jews interpret the slogan as a call for the elimination of the state of Israel and advocating for a single Palestinian state that would replace Israel, denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland.
From the river to the sea is hate speech against Jewish people and Israel. It calls for genocide of Jews and the destruction of the state of Israel.
This is an inciting phrase, encouraging violence, and promoting war. It is understood that this is a very complex issue however, it would not be accepted as a statement had been towards any other group or area. This, however complex, is a statement of hate and violence and should not be permitted.
From “river to sea” is threatening triggering hateful genocidal speech intended to threaten delegitimize and normalize hate on Israel and the Jewish people
Beyond any local contentions and ongoing war and ongoing terrorist attacks and geopolitical climax, Israel is an independent democratic UN sanctioned country with an implicit right to be without existential threats
No geopolitical conflict should allow for calling for obliteration of people which is the implicit threat in “river to sea” regardless of intellectual justifications and deceptive speech its intent is clear threatening racist and genocidal and the Jewish people interpret it to the letter and intent.
The slogan "From the river to the sea" is inherently hateful -- it specifically is about the elimination of the country of Israel. Palestinians have had numerous opportunities to have their own state, but their leaders have always chosen to try to eliminate Israel instead.
"From the river to the sea" is phraseology that supports a one state solution, where the jews in Israel are massacred and displaced by a militarized Palestinian force, who then claim the land between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean. The chant has always been touted as a call to violence and end to the state of Israel. Specifically, during the Intifadas of the 80s and 90s the phrase grew in popularity throughout the West Bank/Gaza, as a show of solidarity with Palestinian suicide bombers. The chant has always been embraced by adherents to radical Islam and can be easily found in the rhetoric/writings of Osama Bin Laden, Hezbollah and the Ayatollah, as an exhortation to commit mass violence against Jews.
This phrase is a genocidel slogan. The arab translation is, "from the water to the sea, palestine will be Arab." Not "free". Arab. But that slogan isn't catchy in english. This is a phrase adopted by the known and recognized terror organization, Hamas. They are murderers and rapists. Kidnappers and torturerers. A 14 year old hostage came back pregnant. 14!! Rape is not Resistance! These monsters are trying to erase Jews and Israel. This slogan is their battle cry as they murder Jews and Israelis. It's a call for violence. Do you support genocide? Every time this phrase is uttered, it's a call for and support for genocide.
Freedom will never come to those who believe erasure of an entire people is paramount to their success. Genocide is never the answer.