Meta’s board says Hamas slogan not hate speech

The oversight board of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, released an opinion on Wednesday stating that the phrase “from the river to the sea” does not constitute hate speech. The board reviewed three examples of posts flagged for using the phrase and determined that the language did not call for violence or exclusion. The phrase by itself only signifies solidarity toward Palestinians and doesn’t even refer to Hamas, the ruling read.

The report acknowledged that the phrase was featured in Hamas’ charter, but argued that it had multiple meanings. While some interpret the phrase as a call for the elimination of Israel, it is most often used as a call for solidarity with and the self-determination of the Palestinian people, according to the board. The slogan does not become inherently hateful just because a terrorist group used it, the board added. But a minority of board members held a different view, arguing that Meta should presume the phrase glorifies Hamas unless specified otherwise.

Why is the phrase seen by many as hateful? It is a call for a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, which would dismantle Israel and remove Jews from their ancestral homeland, the Anti-Defamation League said. The league noted that the phrase has long been used by anti-Semitic entities and others who seek the destruction of Israel, and called the decision shortsighted.

Dig deeper: Read my report on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposing an international alliance with Israel during his congressional address in July.