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
It’s an absolutely antisemite comment.
It’s horrible. This innocent sounding phrase is anything but innocent. It basically means “let’s wipe Jews off of the planet from the river to the sea”. Can you even imagine if i said that about any other race or religion?!? I can’t believe this is even a discussion.
The state of Israel located between the Jordan river to the Mediterranean Sea
By using the slogan “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free” people mean to wipe out the state of Israel and its citizens from the map. There are no Jews in Gaza and Jews cannot get in the Palestinian autority because they would attack by their people.
So if you are calling “from the river…” you are calling to destroy Israel and the death of the Jewish people
The pro-Palestinians have the right to show their support for Palestinians. HOWEVER, that does not include suggesting or commiting violent acts against jews in America and the world, or the call to eliminate a whole state and its inhabitants = Israel. From the Jordan rover to the Mediterranean sea is the exact geography in Iseal. Instead of establishing a Palestinian state aside Israel, they are asking to eliminate Israel and kill the Jews, in order to build one Palestinian state. This is a call for genocide. The same as using the word 'intifada'. Both 'from the river to the sea' and 'intifada' should be removed and prohibited to use ASAP. I would not imagine people using a phrase 'from the atlantic to the pcaific, *** will be free' and it would be considered legitimate.
The phrase “from the river to the sea” is normally part of the sentence “from the (Jordan) river to the (Mediterranean) sea Palestinian will be free”.
The phrase’s intention is for the extermination of all Jews from the land of Israel.
It calls for Palestinians to occupy the land of Israel and throw all jews to the see!
Israel’s borders are the (Jordan) river in the east and the (Mediterranean) sea on the west. As such the above sentence means “cleaning” the entire land of Israel from Israeli Jews.
In simple terms, it means: “kill the Jews”!!
It is an antisemitic phrase and has no place on social media.
In a region marked by complex histories and cultural richness, the phrase "from the river to the sea" symbolizes not peace for all but war for its residents.
This slogan, synonymous with calls for Israel's eradication, promotes war rather than reconciliation. Millions of Israeli families, like my own, live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. These people are not responsible for wars that occurred almost a hundred years ago. It is fundamentally immoral to demand violent consequences from people who were born in a land simply because that land is associated with past wars.
The use of this phrase escalates tensions and undermines peaceful coexistence among the area's diverse communities. I urge its reconsideration in public discourse, advocating for dialogue that ensures safety and stability for all, including my family, who deserve a future free from the threat of war.
'From the River to the Sea [Palestine will be Free]' implies a clear cry to commit genocide against the Jewish people living in the Jewish state - Israel. It implies there is no room for coexistance between Jews and Palestinians in the land. It is an offensive and agreesive phrase - that looks like an innocent cry, but it is actually an encouragement for violent resistance and terror. You should consider banning its use from social media platforms.
This rallying cry has long been used by anti-Israel voices, including supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the PFLP, which seek Israel’s destruction through violent means. It is fundamentally a call for a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, territory that includes the State of Israel, which would mean the dismantling of the Jewish state. It is an antisemitic charge denying the Jewish right to self-determination, including through the removal of Jews from their ancestral homeland.
From the river to the sea calls for killing all the Jewish people live in this place. We need to remember that between the river and the sea lives also (in complete peace) Arbs, Druze and Hindi!
There over million people using your apps in Isreal ! And they should feel safe during this time !!!!
It is very clear to anyone that people who use the phrase “From the River to the sea” mean that they would like to see the state of Israel wiped off the map. One only needs to read or listen to the rhetoric invariably used in conjunction with that sentence. That rhetoric is replete with phrases like “death to Israel “, etc.
Please do the right thing
שלום רב,
ברצוני להביע את התנגדותי להסתה הפרועה ברחבי הרשתות החברתיות פייסבוק ואינסגרם, כמו ברשתות נוספות, נגד ישראלים, יהודים וציונים.
הכל למעשה מתייחס לשנאת היהודים
ולשאיפה להשמיד
את כל היהודים בעולם וכמובן להחריב את מדינת ישראל כמדינת היהודים
אין לנו ארץ אחרת.
מדינת ישראל הוקמה בתמיכת האומות המאוחדות ולאחר סירוב של הערבים לחלוקה לשתי מדינות.
יש לנו זכות קיום במדינת אבותינו.
אני בעד שלום ואחווה.
אבקש לא לאפשר הסתה ושנאה כלפי ישראלים ויהודים.
תודה מראש
Hello.
The saying "from the river to the sea" causes defiance and hatred towards Jews and leads to disasters around the world among Jews. This is not the condemnation that Jews will have to fear for their lives because they live in Israel or anywhere else. Therefore, this trial may lead to an increase in psychological violence among pro-Palestinians against Jews.
I think that the social network should allow freedom of expression, but if there is an expression that could harm another, the social network should protect the public and prevent the potential for violence and defiance.
Use of the slogan should link to the actual meaning, described here, https://www.vox.com/world-politics/23972967/river-to-sea-palestine-israel-hamas, which is "from the water to the water, Palestine is Islamic." This is the call of Islamic extremists and terrorists to deny the existence of Israel, kill Jews and Christians, and create a Caliphate.
From the river to the sea is a call for the violent destruction of Israel and the creation of a Muslim state in its place. The only way to achieve such a state would be to expel or kill most or all of the Jewish inhabitants of Israel. Thus, it falls squarely within the UN’s definition of genocide. The US Congress has recognized this. It is an anodyne formulation of the phrase “death to Israel.” This phrase is deeply offensive and threatening to any Jewish or Israeli person and represents a direct call for violence against Jews.
From the river to the sea refers to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. This means it will be free of Jews. Keep in mind after more than a dozen internationally negotiated treaties and opportunities for 2 states those in Gaza and the West Bank continually refuse since they do not want part but all of the geographical hmm UC area. This call for removal of all Jews. It is simple genocide as the neighboring countries expelled Jews when Iisrael became a country.
Please ban this phrase along with we don't want a two state we want all of 48. The pro hamas people want the death of Israel and death of America (just read signs at rallies or a hamas website). Very similar to nazis in WW Ii and high anti-semitic.
The meaning of from the river to the sea- means only one country, an Arab one, in the territory that the state of Israel exists today. Is not calling for 2 states solution or peace of any kind, but the distraction of the state of Israel and mass killing of the Jews who live here, including me. It’s literally calling for a second holocaust, like the try for it we witnessed on oct 7.
These calls, cannot keep anywhere it said in a safe place for Jews and Israelis, and are discriminating and racist.
To whom this may concern,
In this new reality we Jews face today as a mother of young children who lives in Canada life has become one constant state of existential anxiety. Anxiety for my children’s future existence. Parents these days fear for their children’s ability to purchase a home or ability to make a good living. I fear for my children’s life as they are Jewish in a world becoming more and more violently antisemitic. The phrase “from the river to the sea” carries with it a violent suggestion for Jews. It is not innocent or devoid of malice. It’s a phrase that can insight a mob to violence like a match to kindling. I hope you take our words seriously enough today so in 25 years you won’t have to wonder if you could have done more.
Pure Antisemitism - the prompt to remove all Jews from “Palestine” = Israel.
Jews feel threatened and unsafe when this slogan is library used in anti Israel demonstrations.
Basically they are saying kill them all. Disgusting!
As as a Portuguese, I can’t bee more concerned about the fact there isn’t an even a need for a debate. As a person who comes from expelled as chant size " from the right to sea" so entire country. For us it was sea to ocean, the iberian peninsula.
The call calls for a fourth successful ethnic clean up on the Jews. There were more tries, and hope this try will sty as a failed one. We need to remember that the only reason we are having this debate is because of them. The Romen Empire killed around 2 million Jews and deported the rest out to all over including Europe. What allowed the Inquisition. That made the Iberian Peninsula clean from Jews. And the most known holocaust the German one.
From the river to the sea means no Jews between the Jordan river to the Mediterranean. And I can’t understand how a call for ethnic cleansing can be ok by you guys.
When protesters using this phrase are asked what about Israel (which is between the river and the sea) and the Jews living in it, they suggest its total annihilation, or deportation to all the Jews, or refuse to answer. It's clear that the chant means no Israel. Israel is the only country whose critics demand its annihilation (it is negatively singled out in other ways). Please don't allow the publication of this discriminatory, hateful phrase, which justifies anti-israeli terrorism and expresses antisemitism.
Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people for thousands of years. In modern times, there were many opportunities for a 2 state solution. The Arab world did not want to share, they wanted all of it. From the river to the sea is the rallying cry to not just take over the whole land but to eliminate all of the Jewish people from that land (genocide). This is the founding principle for Hamas.