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From the river to the sea

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Map showing Israel and the Palestinian Territories as outlined by the Oslo Accords. The Jordan River is on the right, and the Mediterranean Sea is on the left.

“From the river to the sea” is a political slogan referring to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. This region, historically called Palestine, was once under British rule (Mandatory Palestine) and today includes Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The phrase has been used by both Israelis and Palestinians to call for a single state covering the entire area.

Historical origins

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The phrase first appeared in the literature of Palestinian groups (especially Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis) in the 1960s–70s. The "river" refers to the Jordan River and the "sea" refers to the Mediterranean Sea. In this sense, it refers to the entire historical territory of Palestine (present-day Israel, West Bank, and Gaza and Southern Lebanon). For many Palestinian groups, the slogan expressed retake of Palestine or end to the Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine.[1][2]

Usage

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Use internationally

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Graffiti at the Teacher-Student Centre, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Pro-Palestinian protestor holding a sign in Columbus, Ohio

On 27 September 2008, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared that all of Palestine, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River, belongs to Arabs and Palestinians. He said no one has the right to surrender even a single part of the land, as every piece of it is sacred and must be returned to its rightful owners.[3]

In 2023, former Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi used a similar phrase, saying that the only solution to the conflict is a Palestinian state covering the entire area from the river to the sea—meaning 99.9999% of modern-day Israel and Palestinian territories, southern Lebanon and southwestern Syria.[4][5][6]

On 30 October 2023, British MP Andy McDonald was suspended from the Labour Party after telling a pro-Palestine rally: “We won’t rest until we have justice, until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea can live in peaceful liberty.” The party called his remark “deeply offensive.”[7]

McDonald later clarified that his words were meant only as a call to end violence in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, and for all people in the region to live freely and safely.[8]

On 1 November 2023, the English Football Association banned players from using the phrase, explaining that it is “considered offensive to many” and said it would seek police advice on handling cases where players used it.[9] A few days later, on 5 November, the Metropolitan Police ended its work with an adviser who had chanted the slogan at a protest, saying it appeared “antisemitic and contrary to our values.” [10]

On 30 November 2018, CNN dismissed American academic Marc Lamont Hill as a political commentator after he ended a speech at the UN’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People by calling for “a free Palestine, from the river to the sea.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said the phrase was a call for Israel’s destruction. Hill later apologized but argued on Twitter that the slogan has been used in different contexts, including by Israel’s Likud Party and the Israeli right, and does not necessarily mean eliminating Israel.[11] On 7 November 2023, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib was censured by the House of Representatives partly for using the phrase “from the river to the sea.” Tlaib defended it as “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.” Before the vote, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the slogan as being “widely understood as calling for the complete destruction of Israel.” [12][13] The following day, 8 November, the White House also condemned Tlaib’s use of the phrase. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it is “divisive” and “hurtful,” noting that many consider it antisemitic, and added that the White House “categorically rejects applying the term to the [2023 Israel–Hamas] conflict.” [14]

Use on social media

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The phrase has also circulated widely on social media platforms,[15][16] including TikTok.[17] On 4 September 2024, Meta’s Oversight Board ruled that the phrase could be used on the company’s platforms, stating that, by itself, it does not violate policies on hate speech, incitement to violence, or dangerous organizations.[17][18]

Civic usage

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Pro-Palestinian rally in London, 9 October 2023
Pro-Palestinian rally in Columbus, Ohio, 12 October 2023, with an Arabic reference to the Intifada

The phrase has been widely used in pro-Palestinian protest movements,[19] often chanted at demonstrations along with the slogan “Palestine will be free.” Many civic leaders, activists, and progressive publications interpret it as support for a one-state solution: a single secular state across all of historic Palestine with equal rights for people of all religions.[20] This contrasts with the two-state solution, which envisions separate Israeli and Palestinian states. In this context, the phrase has been described as expressing Palestinians’ right “to live freely in the land from the river to the sea.” [21][22][23][24]

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This phrase does not express a genocidal or anti-Semitic goal, but its historical use in political strategies for liberation of Palestine or destruction of Jewish state. However, in many countries, including the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, the US, etc., the use of this phrase is prohibited and is a crime.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]

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References

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  1. ↑ Boffey, Daniel (31 October 2023). "'From the river to the sea': Where does the slogan come from and what does it mean?". Theguardian. 'From the river to the sea': where does the slogan come from and what does it mean?
  2. ↑ ""From the river to the sea calls for the establishment of the State of Palestine..."". Facebook.com. November 5, 2023.
  3. ↑ Rubin, Barry (Fall 2008). "Israel's "Northern Front": Relations with Syria and Lebanon". The Ambassadors Review. Council of American Ambassadors. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Iran's Raisi: The only solution is 'a Palestinian state from the river to the sea'". The Times of Israel. 11 November 2023. "The only solution for this conflict is the resistance continuing against the Israeli oppression until the establishment of the Palestinian state from the river to the sea," he says, echoing protest chants seen as calling for the destruction of Israel.
  5. ↑ "Establishment of Palestinian state is 'only solution': Iran's Raisi". en.royanews.tv. 11 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Israel-Hamas war, Day 36 LIVE updates | Iran's Raisi hails Hamas, urges Islamic states' sanctions on Israel". The Hindu. 11 November 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Gutteridge, Nick (30 October 2023). "Labour MP Andy McDonald suspended over 'between the river and the sea' speech". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 30 October 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ "'From the river to the sea': Why a 6-word phrase sparks fury and passion over the Israel-Hamas war". Associated Press News. 10 November 2023. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Ofori, Morgan (1 November 2023). "FA will consult police if players use 'river to sea' phrase on social media". The Guardian. PA Media. Retrieved 1 November 2023. After careful consideration, we will be writing to all clubs to make it clear that this phrase is considered offensive to many, and should not be used by players in social media posts. The player has apologised and deleted the tweet. We are strongly encouraging clubs to ensure that players do not post content which may be offensive or inflammatory to any community. If this phrase is used again by a football participant, we will seek police guidance on how we should treat it and respond.
  10. ↑ Osborne, Samuel (5 November 2023). "Met Police cuts ties with adviser who led controversial chant at pro-Palestinian rally". Sky News. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "CNN fires analyst Marc Lamont Hill after UN speech on Israel". Associated Press News. 29 November 2018. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  12. ↑ "House censures Rep. Rashida Tlaib over Israel remarks". NBC News. 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  13. ↑ Guo, Kayla (7 November 2023). "House Moves Closer to Censuring Tlaib, Citing 'River to the Sea' Slogan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023.
  14. ↑ Friedman, Lisa (8 November 2023). "The White House condemns Rashida Tlaib's embrace of the 'River to the Sea' slogan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Kellman, Laurie (10 November 2023). "'From the river to the sea': Why these 6 words spark fury and passion over the Israel-Hamas war". Associated Press News. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  16. ↑ Pietch, Bryan (14 November 2023). "'From the river to the sea': Why a Palestinian rallying cry ignites dispute". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  17. 1 2 Maheshwari, Sapna (16 November 2023). "Jewish Celebrities and Influencers Confront TikTok Executives in Private Call". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  18. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  19. ↑ Rubin, Barry (2010). The Muslim Brotherhood: The Organization and Policies of a Global Islamist Movement. New York City: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-230-10687-1. Thus, the MAB slogan 'Palestine must be free, from the river to the sea' is now ubiquitous in anti-Israeli demonstrations in the UK ...
  20. ↑ Bandler, Aaron (1 November 2021). "Dem NH Lawmaker Apologizes for 'From the River to the Sea' Tweet". The Jewish Journal. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  21. ↑ Nasser, Maha (3 December 2018). "'From The River To The Sea' Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means". The Forward. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  22. ↑ Zhang, Jane (29 October 2023). "What does 'From the river to the sea' mean to Palestinians, Jews?". The Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  23. ↑ Sculos, Bryant W. (2019). ""A Free Palestine from the River to the Sea": The 9 Dirty Words You Can't Say (on T.V. or Anywhere Else)". Class, Race and Corporate Power. 7 (1). Miami, Florida: Florida International University. Article 6. doi:10.25148/crcp.7.1.008322. ISSN 2330-6297. S2CID 166905010. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  24. ↑ MacDonald, Alex (23 October 2023). "'From the river to the sea': What does the pro-Palestine chant actually mean?". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  25. ↑ Syal, Rajeev; Allegretti, Aubrey (10 October 2023). "Waving Palestinian flag may be a criminal offence, Braverman tells police". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2023. I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as: 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world, and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated section 5 public order offence.
  26. ↑ "Single MP majority asks Cabinet to criminalize "From the River to the Sea" statement". NL Times. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  27. ↑ Glenn, Matis (25 October 2023). "Austrian Chancellor Visits Israel, Says 'From the River...' Will Be Considered Call to Murder". Hamodia. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  28. ↑ Rajvanshi, Astha (20 October 2023). "In Europe, Free Speech Is Under Threat For Palestine Supporters". Time. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  29. ↑ Tambur, Silver (9 November 2023). "Anti-Jewish leaflets distributed in Tallinn, people arrested for chanting Hamas slogans at protest". Estonian World.
  30. ↑ "Stadt muss Parole "From the river to the sea" erlauben" [City must allow slogan "From the river to the sea"]. Die Welt (in German). 24 March 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  31. ↑ "Czechia mulls penalising 'From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free' slogan". 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  32. ↑ "Charge stayed against Calgary pro-Palestinian protester who chanted 'from the river to the sea'". National Post. 17 November 2023. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  33. ↑ Schnell, Mychael; Kelly, Laura (16 April 2024). "House approves resolution condemning Palestinian rallying cry as antisemitic". The Hill. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  34. ↑ Chainkinski, Boris-Kfeer (October 18, 2025). "Did you know Free Palestine was a Jewish slogan? ..." Facebook.
  35. ↑ Eugene (2026-01-13). "Why Does the Free Palestine Crowd Seem to Have NO INTEREST in Freeing Iran?". Back to Jerusalem. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
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