'From the river to the sea': Meta’s Oversight Board greenlights anti-Israel phrase

The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) sharply criticized Meta’s Oversight Board on Wednesday for its same-day decision to allow the controversial phrase “from the river to the sea” on its platform.

According to the Board, the phrase does not violate Meta’s rules on hate speech, violence, incitement, or dangerous organizations and individuals. This ruling has ignited a firestorm of criticism from CAM, which views the decision as a dangerous precedent, NBC reported on Wednesday.

Sacha Roytman Dratwa, CEO of CAM, condemned the Oversight Board's decision, calling the phrase “from the river to the sea” genocidal in intent. He emphasized that the slogan was created with the explicit goal of destroying the national homeland of the Jewish people.

“It is genocidal in intent and meaning and is not a legitimate political or ideological vision because it targets the one Jewish state and its inhabitants for destruction,” Dratwa asserted.

In a related decision, had previously lifted its ban on the term “shaheed,” or martyr, after a year-long review. This decision, along with the latest ruling on the slogan, has led to accusations that the Board is applying a biased standard when it comes to Jewish issues.

Dratwa criticized the Board for allegedly showing preferential treatment to antisemites, a charge that underscores growing concerns about the platform’s content moderation policies.

Sometimes genocidal, sometimes a call for Palestinian solidarity

The Meta Oversight Board’s decision to permit the phrase “From the river to the sea” is based on the argument that the phrase can be interpreted in multiple ways.

The Board argued that while some might see it as incitement to antisemitism and the violent elimination of Israel, it is also used as a political call for Palestinian solidarity and self-determination, The NBV reported on Wednesday. 

CAM has dismissed this interpretation as a flawed justification, with Dratwa concluding by denouncing the Oversight Board's decision as an example of bias and misapplied logic. “There is no amount of context or twisted logic that can excuse this outrage."