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
from the river to the sea doesnt call for.incitw violence, rather it argues for the end of violence in an area cinsumed with it
I am very much in favor of banning the term “From the River to the Sea”, and in fact, see it is imperative to protect the safety of the Jewish people. For those who are not aware, this is a genocidal chant calling for the elimination of all Jewish people in Israel. Its real translation from Arabic translates to “From the River (meaning Jordan River) to the Sea (Mediterranean/Red Sea), Palestine will be Arab.” Currently, Israel is located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean/Red Seas and primarily Jews reside there.
Given that most Jews come from ancestors who have suffered from a genocide, hearing calls for the demise of our people is extremely triggering. Whether those posting the term intend for it to mean the death of Jews does not matter - the bottom line is we are seeing the normalization of a term that calls for our death. By allowing the term on your platform, you are showing that it is OK to make these calls. If you would consider the calling for the death of any minority group to be a violation of your community standards, the same treatment should go towards those calling for the death of Jews.
Since October 7th, we have seen a huge rise in Antisemitism to the point where most Jews no longer feel safe. And this is largely because it has now become socially acceptable to call for the death of Jews. Intention should not matter when the bottom line is, Jews are seeing constant calls for our deaths, bringing out generational trauma and fear to exist safely in this world.
Your platform is a powerful one. This is your chance to do the right thing. Jews are entitled to safety from threats just like any other minority group should be.
Which river? Which sea? If these are in the region of Israel this means a total eradication of the ALL the population including Jews, Arabs, Christians ALL people living in that area. This is murder.
The English chant that begins "from the river to the Sea", is translated from the Arabic chant that begins "from the water to the water. The full chant in Arabic says "from the water to the water, Palestine will be Arab." They want to rid the land of Jews and they are very clear about it. Doesn't matter what language you say it in, it is supporting ethnically cleansing millions of Israelis.
"From the river to the sea" is a call for the complete annihilation of the state of Israel and therefore also a call for the removal of the right of self determination of Jewish people. The river is the Jordan River, which is the Eastern border of Israel. The sea is the Mediteranian sea, which is the Western border of Israel. The whole of Israel lies between these two bodies of water. Therefore, "from the river to the sea calls for the a Palestinian state to be declared on the entirety of the land that is Israel. There is no way to do this without completely annihilating Israel. Israel is the only Jewish state in the world. Therefore a call to annihilate Israel is a call to remove the jewish right to self determination. The call is violent and genocidal in its intent to annihilate an entire country and antisemitic in its call to remove the jewish right to self determination.
From the river to the sea is a phrase that calls for the genocide of the Jewish people, plain and simple. It is hatespeech and has no place in civil society or on social media. It is a phrase shouted by terrorists and has no meaning other than calling for the deaths of every Jewish person in the state of Israel.
“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.
This genocidal hate speech is usually accompanied by threats of violence. These comments should NOT be permitted under Meta's policies against hate speech. They should be removed ASAP and these members should be warned that they could be banned if they continue these disgusting calls for genocide and violence.
Using “from the river to the sea…” and the rest of it, means killing me and my family. It means that Israel, my country, will no longer exist. Please don’t let people use it.
הביטו הזה פירושו קריאה להשמדתי ולהשמדת משפחתי וארצי. הוא קורא לקיום מדינה שמעולם לא היתה קיימת, עבור עם שהוא בעצם חלק מהאיסלם בלי שום מאפיינים לאומיים ייחודיים. קיומו של הרעיון הפלסטיני נועד למטרה אחת בלבד: ביטול קיומה של מדינת ישראל. אם לא היינו מנצחים במלחמת העצמאות השטח בין הירדן לים היה מתחלק בצורה כלשהיא בין מצרים לסוריה.
“From the river to the sea “ is currently become a phrase which can increases or insight hate and can cause violence if used inappropriately People on Facebook can be encouraged to harm others because of this phrase. Facebook is not the place for hate and should remain a safe loving and informative space. Please keep Facebook safe.
Many "slogans" are being used by the anti-Israel crowd these days. Many of which are inconceivable hateful and incitement to violence. One of which is especially threatening because it is calling for Genocide of Israelis and the entire country of Israel. That slogan is "From the River to the Sea". It is an unmitigated call for genocide and in the name of Justice and Humanity should be BANNED from the Meta platform.
Thank You
Michael
“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.
Please uphold your responsibility to combat antisemitism on your platform.
Together, let us stand in solidarity against hatred and bigotry, and work towards a safer and more inclusive online community.
“From the river to the sea“ should be banned. It is violent hate speech calling for genocide and the destruction of the state of Israel.
Although many people chanting such things and posting them are ignorant of what they mean, that is no excuse
and they should be shut down from spreading hate!!
“From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” is a rallying cry for terrorist groups and their sympathizers, from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to Hamas, which called for Israel’s destruction in its original governing charter in 1988 and was responsible for the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israeli civilians, murdering over 1,200 people in the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. It is also a common call-to-arms for pro-Palestinian activists, especially student activists on college campuses. It calls for the establishment of a State of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, erasing the State of Israel and its people. Another phrase “Globalize the Intifada,” which uses the Arabic word for “uprising” or “shaking off,” also calls for widespread violence against both Israelis and Jews across the globe (see “Globalize the Intifada”).
Sometimes the Palestinian flag emoji is used as shorthand for these phrases to spam social media posts related to Jews, whether having to do with Israel or not. There is of course nothing antisemitic about advocating for Palestinians to have their own state. However, calling for the elimination of the Jewish state, praising Hamas or other entities who call for Israel’s destruction, or suggesting that the Jews alone do not have the right to self-determination, is antisemitic.
Most people using the phrase "From the River to the Sea" have no idea which river is referred to and which sea.
This phrase calls for the destruction of the state of Israel.
This is unacceptable! People using this phrase encourage violence, intolerance, and hate.
Most of these people buy into Islamic terrorist propaganda; even without any propaganda, calling for the destruction and killing of a sovereign state is unacceptable and should never be allowed!
The use of this phrase only occurs in context of reversal of the UN decision to create Israel. It had never been used in the context of a 2 state solution or in application to statehood for the West Bank and Gaza. The river referenced is the Jordan and the sea is the Mediterranean. Therefore it includes all of Israel within the UN recognized borders and is a call for the elimination of the country. Calls to eliminate countries and the consequences from such including the death or displacement of their populations are a violation of the incitement clause of the 1948 Convention on Prevention snd Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Art. 3c. Canada has prosecuted such calls and deported individuals in the context of Rwanda.
The phrase "From the river to the sea" is hate speech as it connotes complete destruction of the State of Israel and its population of Jews.
The phrase "from the river to the sea" has been used by Hamas and other groups to call for the destruction of Israel. The association with violent extremist groups turned it into a rallying call for violence against all Jewish people.
From the river to the Sea has been a slogan of Hamas for decades. It is known and has its history in simply wanting terror attacks on any group that is not Muslim. Just because there are ignorant people in the west that do not understand this, it does not mean it isn't hate speech. Most people easily recognize it as hate speech.
Thank you for considering the impact of words. The amount of hate and violence in one simple phrase can simultaneously undermine generations of hard work and jeopardize the shape of our combined future. Thank you for setting an example.
Please ban "from the river to the sea" as it is calling for the complete eradication of the Jewish people and state of Israel.
"From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free" is hate speech that calls for the ethnic cleansing of the only Jewish state.