WASHINGTON (TND) — An oversight board for social media giant Meta is seeking user input on whether posts with the phrase "from the river to the sea" should be permitted on Facebook, the company told The National Desk (TND) Wednesday.
The phrase is considered antisemitic by the Anti-Defamation League and was included in the 1988 original governing charter of Hamas, the terrorist group which invaded Israel on Oct. 7. House lawmakers in April also condemned the use of the phrase despite 43 Democrats dissenting.
Facebook users in November reported three posts on the site which contained the phrase, claiming they violated Meta’s Community Standards. While Meta originally decided to allow the posts to remain visible, its oversight board will now reevaluate those decisions in relation to its hate speech and incitement of violence rules.
“We welcome the board’s review of our guidance in this matter,” a Meta spokesperson told TND. "As we’ve said previously, we continually assess our policy guidance to better understand potential impacts on different communities. This work is ongoing, and we look forward to the board’s decision and recommendations.”The oversight board is seeking public comment on the matter, asking users who can “contribute valuable perspectives” to the discussion to respond by May 21. Though the board cannot force Meta to accept its decision, it can make policy recommendations which the company must respond to within 60 days.
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Uses of "from the river to the sea" have ignited debate amid the conflict in the Middle East. Ayat, a Palestinian restaurant in Brooklyn, sparked outrage in December with a section on its menu named “from the river to the sea.” The phrase was used in place of the restaurant’s seafood section, which offers shrimp, salmon and other dishes.
Ayat fired back against critics, calling it "upsetting" to see "from the river to the sea" be misinterpreted.
"This line was said way before the creation of Hamas in the early 1950s late 40s when the Palestinians were being kicked out of their lands," the restaurant wrote on Instagram.
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