Palestinian slogan "From the river to the sea" allowed in "Meta"

Meta’s Oversight Board said Wednesday that the use of the slogan “From the river to the sea,” a slogan often shared by pro-Palestinian users, does not violate the company’s content policies. The board said the phrase, which many people repeat in support of Palestine, does not violate Meta’s rules on hate speech or violence.

The phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" has been used as a slogan by many since the outbreak of the devastating Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, amid accusations by Israel of "anti-Semitism."

Meta’s board is the ultimate authority on content moderation decisions at Meta. The board reviewed three cases involving Facebook posts containing the controversial phrase, which came amid the devastating war and global protests against it.

The board found that the content did not violate Meta's rules on hate speech, violence, incitement, or dangerous organizations or individuals, and should not result in the post being removed from its platforms.

"In supporting Meta's decisions to keep the content, the majority of the Board noted that the phrase has multiple meanings and is used by people in different ways and with different intentions," it said.

"The three content-specific cases include contextual references to solidarity with Palestinians but do not contain language calling for violence or exclusion," he added.

The phrase "from the river to the sea" refers to the geographical area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea and includes the occupied Palestinian territories.

It is often used to express support for the Palestinians to achieve self-determination and equal rights. However, many Israelis claim that the phrase is a call for the violent destruction of Israel.

(AFP)