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
I feel that from the river to the sea is hate speech and implies the genocide of the Jewish people.
From the river to the sea is a call for peace and to let the Palestinians live. It’s for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate. I implore you use your critical thinking skills and not to suppress those who are already extremely oppressed over a slogan Israel has used itself for decades. We can not allow anyone to degrade our humanity.
The phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is hate speech that calls for the annihilation of the state of Israel. The first part of the phrase, "From the river to the sea" refers to the bodies of water around Israel - specifically, from the Jordan River to the east, to the Mediterranean Sea in the West. The second part of the phrase, "Palestine will be free" - we must ask, what are they trying to be free of?
Israel evacuated all civilian and military in 2005 (even the deceased in cemeteries were dug up and removed for fear that their graves would be desecrated). So if there are no Jews, living or dead, in Gaza, then the second part of the phrase can neither be interpreted as "free from occupation" nor as "free from Israeli citizens and/or military" in Gaza. The Palestinians have been free to elect their own government and rule themselves since 2005. It is also not interpreted as "free from Hamas", since there are no other chants that indicate that Palestinians want Hamas to surrender, or abdicate from their reign of terror over their own people. Quite the opposite - at many rallies, in social media posts, and in newscasts, we have seen and heard Palestinians and their supporters praising Hamas and their brutality. In fact, many Palestinian civilians were in the streets cheering, eating candy, and spitting on the dead body parts of murdered Israeli citizens, and on the mutilated, raped, living kidnapped hostages as they were paraded through town.
So what is the land to be "free" of? In the context in which this is chanted, and by all the speech surrounding this phrase, the answer is that it refers to getting rid of the entire population of Israeli citizens currently living in the ancestral homeland of the Jews. It has been established that Israel (formerly Judea) is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people - there is abundant archeological and historical evidence of this fact.
According to The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) the definition of antisemitism includes "Denying the Jewish people their right to self determination" (https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism). We can then see, that this phrase "From the river, to the sea, Palestine will be free" means the state of Israel from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean Sea will be free of the Israelis who live there, thus eliminating the state of Israel. As noted in the IHRA definition of antisemitism, denying the Jewish people their right to self determination by calling for the elimination of the state of Israel is hate speech.
I would also like to note, in case those deliberating this issue are including in your decision how many responses you get from each side of this issue, that there are about 15 million Jews in the world, and almost 2 billion Muslims. If numbers are a factor, know that you will undoubtedly have fewer responses stating that this phrase is hate speech than responses stating it's not.
Palestine existed long before the creation of Hamas, so it is both unreasonable and absurdly irrational to equate a call for a free Palestine as having anything to do with Hamas. Additionally, the POLITICAL state of Israel is not analogous the RELIGIOUS or cultural existence of people of various sects of Judaism, therefore a call to withhold external funding for the ethno-state of Israel cannot be reasonably considered to be hate speech against the religion Israel has claimed as their own.
Dear Committee,
Your Mission - build community and bring the world closer together. Does calling for the elimination of a legitimate country and its people support that? Palestine has been offered statehood over the years and has declined. What is it they want? This chant is not just words it is a threat to takeover. Is that community? And if threats are allowed what distinguishes actionable ones from harmless ones?
As a shareholder I question if the use of these phrases come from the type of consumers you can monetize? Do the clients you sell advertising seek the terrorists, activists, radical's who chant for death of a democratic country - are they the eyeballs who buy the vacuums, violins, Volvos, vitamins? Are they your economy? Don’t risk your consumerism customer base.
Do these radicals really offer you a financial benefit? Or do they use you by throwing your neutrality in your face, drive hate, stir up anger, drive away the silent peaceful consumers and then not offer you an economic payoff?
Please stick to your knitting, community. Don’t jeopardize your lifeblood, consumerism.
Maybe the resolution from US government can be enough of an explanation? “S.Res.497 - A resolution to express the sense of the Senate that the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" and its derivations are antisemitic and a call for genocide and the destruction of the Jewish state.”
Otherwise, looking at the map and seeing the sovereign country of Israel fully enclosed between Jordan river and Mediterranean sea clearly explains the goal of the phrase. It is to destroy all the Jews who lives there.
A few years back, I used a term with a friend that I thought was benign. Just a term. They told me that, within their community, it is seen as a derogatory phrase. It has tones of perjorative mocking that supports the conviction that they are deviant or ludicrous. I had not known, but when they told me that, I could immediately see how it could work in that underhanded way. I never used the word again.
I am here to tell you, as a member of the group targeted by the phrase "from the river to the sea", that it is a war cry. It is a phrase that machete-wielding zealots yell to empower themselves to commit the unthinkable on their civilian enemy. All Jews have know that it implies genocide and the eradication of the legal state of Israel for decades. Its flowery language is meant to guise the true content of the phrase: to eliminate Jewry from the land. The actions of those that march under this banner phrase have clearly elucidated what they think the method of cleansing the Jews out: ambush, rape, mutilation, murder, kidnapping. It is like the call of the Hutu against the Tutsis. We are asking you to believe us.
We are also asking that you do your utmost to stop the spread of that dangerous sentiment to the shores of Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Racism has always been allowed to spread because the hateful dialogue of double-speak or "euphemism" is allowed to flourish. Imagine you had in your hands now the decision to stop to Third Reich from using the euphemism "Final Solution" when referring to the systematic and violent erasure of European Jewry? Do you think it would have given some participants a pause to use the naked language of genocide or human slaughter? This is your moment to do just that. Stop unknowing college kids from using phrases that cloak genocidal intent. PLEASE. This is your chance to shape history.
A few years back, I used a term with a friend that I thought was benign. Just a term. They told me that, within their community, it is seen as a derogatory phrase. It has tones of perjorative mocking that supports the conviction that they are deviant or ludicrous. I had not known, but when they told me that, I could immediately see how it could work in that underhanded way. I never used the word again.
I am here to tell you, as a member of the group targeted by the phrase "from the river to the sea", that it is a war cry. It is a phrase that machete-wielding zealots yell to empower themselves to commit the unthinkable on their civilian enemy. All Jews have know that it implies genocide and the eradication of the legal state of Israel for decades. Its flowery language is meant to guise the true content of the phrase: to eliminate Jewry from the land. The actions of those that march under this banner phrase have clearly elucidated what they think the method of cleansing the Jews out: ambush, rape, mutilation, murder, kidnapping. It is like the call of the Hutu against the Tutsis. We are asking you to believe us.
We are also asking that you do your utmost to stop the spread of that dangerous sentiment to the shores of Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Racism has always been allowed to spread because the hateful dialogue of double-speak or "euphemism" is allowed to flourish. Imagine you had in your hands now the decision to stop to Third Reich from using the euphemism "Final Solution" when referring to the systematic and violent erasure of European Jewry? Do you think it would have given some participants a pause to use the naked language of genocide or human slaughter? This is your moment to do just that. Stop unknowing college kids from using phrases that cloak genocidal intent. PLEASE. This is your chance to shape history.
In most circumstances, "From the river to the sea" is used to connote a supposedly "liberatory" statement based on the ethnic cleansing, politicide, and even genocide of Jewish residents of the State of Israel. The term "Free Palestine" itself can ambiguously refer to anything between ending the Israeli Occupation of the Palestinian Territories to establish a two-state solution, to some kind of binational state, to ethnic cleansing and genocide of Jews and denial of our political and civil rights including self-determination. However, when affixed to "From the River to the Sea", it is clear that the speakers seek the destruction of the world's only Jewish-majority country in my people's historic homeland.
(There are some exceptions, such as using "everyone between the river and the sea" to refer to all residents of Israel/Palestine, but this is context-dependent and received very differently by Jews than "Free Palestine from the river to the sea".)
Allowing this phrase to be repeatedly posted on Facebook is essentially condoning the genocide and murder of Jews in Israel. This phrase itself is clearly defined that the Palestinian people will not be happy until they occupy and read Israel of all Jews so that they can occupy the land for themselves free of all Jews. To allow this phrase is supporting hatred and it’s truest form.
From the River to the Sea is an expression that means that the Palestinians should take over the land from the Jordan River to the Meidterranean Sea, which is Israel. The expression means that the Jews should either be murdered or expelled, usually murdered. This is clearly an antisemitic, bigoted, and hateful expression and should not be allowed. Thank you.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is an antisemitic slogan commonly featured in anti-Israel campaigns and chanted at demonstrations.
This rallying cry has long been used by anti-Israel voices, including supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the United States State Department designated foreign terrorist organization on 8 October 1997.
(https://www.dni.gov/nctc/ftos/pflp_fto.html#:~:text=The%20US%20State%20Department%20designated,it%20on%2031%20October%202001.)
PFLP seeks 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.
Usage of this phrase has the effect of making members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized. It is important to note that demanding justice for Palestinians, or calling for a Palestinian state, should not mean, as this hateful phrase posits, denying the right of the State of Israel to exist.
Source: Anti Defamation League (ADL)https://notoleranceforantisemitism.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/slogan-river-sea-palestine-will-be-free
I wanted to say that during the Rafah invasion I was not seeing a lot of posts about this, despite having the political feature turned on. Thank you for letting me bring this to your attention
The comment from the river to the sea is an antisemitic saying. Its is saying that Hamas is going to erase the Jewish country by killing Jews. Every Hamas terrorist who has used this statement said very proudly they are going to kill Jews over and over again. So number one reason it’s antisemitic is because Hamas means it to be and it’s a literal statement of their end goal.
Second reason, the U.S. government has now in a law said that the statement is infact antisemitism. So if meta/facebook/instagram does infact allow that saying to be posted then they are infact allowing antisemetic hate speech to continue and infact is supporting it.
Third, it is also against the law to use it now, so the company will be breaking laws. Why would you choose to support breaking this law of all laws that are in existence.
Fourth, allowing the use of this saying will then open the door to allow other derogatory statements towards other groups perpetuate. You are opening yourself up to lawsuits to allow all statement be said. Meta will have no dog in the fight when other hate is spewed towards other groups on all its platforms.
Meta/FB/IG should be proud to have the responsibility to do good in the world. Allowing the expression from the river to the sea has no positive connotation. I have a 9 year old Jewish daughter. I would think that as a company you wouldnt feel comfortable allowing people to post on your platform death to her. Look at my page, look at my posts with her on it. Take a good look and decide if her life has less value to you than others. Remember, There is no room for interpreting the saying differently when hamas is defining the expression about killing Jews right after they use it.
From the River to the Sea is a phrase which means that Palestinian’s believe all Jews should be annihilated and not be allowed to exist. Never Again. As Jews we experienced this during the Holocaust. Antisemitism is at an all time high against Jews. Please don’t allow people to say or post From the River to the Sea.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is an antisemitic slogan commonly featured in anti-Israel campaigns and chanted at demonstrations.
This rallying cry has long been used by anti-Israel voices, including supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the United States State Department designated foreign terrorist organization on 8 October 1997.
(https://www.dni.gov/nctc/ftos/pflp_fto.html#:~:text=The%20US%20State%20Department%20designated,it%20on%2031%20October%202001.)
PFLP seeks 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.
Usage of this phrase has the effect of making members of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized. It is important to note that demanding justice for Palestinians, or calling for a Palestinian state, should not mean, as this hateful phrase posits, denying the right of the State of Israel to exist.
Source: Anti Defamation League (ADL)
https://notoleranceforantisemitism.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/slogan-river-sea-palestine-will-be-free
People opposed to the phrase "From the river to the sea" need to be educated, not stifled from hearing it. We hear other phrases, deliberately and specifically calling for the death to any groups and this gets questioned? We need people to hear the phrase, learn what it means, and unlearn the propaganda/ lies they have been told by their government. I understand this is a private company, but you also play a role in our society to promote positive and peaceful exchange between people. Shutting down that communication will not stop it, but only redirect it somewhere else.
From the river to the sea indicated eradicating an entire nation that consists of people, religions, culture, etc. it is a new catchy hate slogan and should be considered hate speech. It creates tension and doesn’t allow for dialogue thus leading to escalation and hate. The eradication of a country and its people is in fact, genocide. There is no question, this should be banned to make the world a more peaceful and inclusive place. When we remove the extreme rhetoric and hate speech maybe then we can sit and have a conversation.
“From the river to the sea” is an antisemitic call for the genocide of Jews. It is hate speech. The same goes for other chants like “globalize the intifada.”
This phrase “From the River to the sea” indicates a desire to eradicate Israel and all of the Jews who live there. It can only be considered hate speech. Please recognize it as such and delete posts that express this sentiment.