Several members of Meta’s Oversight Board, which has faced significant criticism for its determination that the anti-Israel phrase “from the river to the sea” does not constitute hate speech, have expressed views critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The advisory board, which claims independence from Meta, concluded that users of Facebook and Instagram can utilize the controversial slogan—popularized at anti-Israeli protests across the country—provided it is not employed to glorify Hamas or incite violence.
Founded in 2020 with the approval of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Oversight Board comprises 21 members from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, speaking over 30 languages, and is intended to reflect the varied user base of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
However, past statements from several board members raise questions about their impartiality regarding the slogan, which alludes to the concept of a Palestinian state extending between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea—territory currently under Israeli control.
Among the board members is Tawakkol Karman, a Yemeni activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who stated in a speech at the Vatican last May that the “world is silent in front of the genocide and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people in Gaza.” Israel condemned her remarks as “flagrantly anti-Semitic.”
Alan Rusbridger, the former editor-in-chief of the left-leaning UK news outlet The Guardian, wrote a column earlier this year acknowledging the existence of “real and vile antisemitism,” while arguing that the “horrors of 7 October most certainly did not happen in a vacuum.” He also contributed to the discussion surrounding the phrase “from the river to the sea,” questioning the inconsistency in its acceptability compared to statements made by Israeli leaders.
Nighat Dad, director of the Pakistan-based Digital Rights Foundation, criticized Facebook in a 2018 column for allegedly succumbing to Israeli pressure by silencing the voices of historically marginalized groups. Endy Bayuni, another Oversight Board member and senior editor at the Jakarta Post, advocated for Indonesia to support an independent Palestinian state and full United Nations membership in a column last April.
The Oversight Board did not disclose which members participated in the vote regarding the controversial decision or the tally of votes for and against it. The board acknowledged that a minority of its members dissented from the decision, noting that the phrase “from the river to the sea” appears in the charter of Hamas.
A statement from the board indicated that a minority believed Meta should adopt a default rule assuming the phrase constitutes glorification of a designated organization unless there is clear evidence that users do not support Hamas or the attacks of October 7. Meanwhile, the majority contended that the phrase has multiple meanings and is used with various intentions.
“Context is crucial,” stated San Martín, co-chair of the board. “Simply eliminating political speech is not a solution. There needs to be space for debate, especially in times of crisis and conflict.”
The organization clarified that the decision was made by a panel of five members and approved by a majority of the full board, emphasizing that these decisions do not necessarily represent the views of all members.
Among the 21 members listed on the Oversight Board, only one is Israeli. Palmer, who was born in Jerusalem and served as Israel's Minister of Justice, was part of the negotiation team for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was infamously kidnapped by Hamas in 2006. Her parents survived the Holocaust.
In a March 2021 interview with Jewish Insider, Palmer noted that part of her motivation for joining the Oversight Board was to address antisemitism and genocide issues from a Jewish perspective.
The advocacy group Combat Antisemitism Movement criticized the Oversight Board's decision as “absurd,” arguing that it would exacerbate the spread of antisemitism online. CEO Sacha Roytman stated, “The sole purpose of the slogan ‘from the river to the sea’ is to destroy the Jewish homeland. Its intent and meaning are genocidal, not a legitimate political or ideological vision, as it targets a Jewish state and its inhabitants.”
In May of this year, CAM submitted a white paper to Meta’s Oversight Board outlining its position on why the slogan should be banned. Roytman added that this reflects a conscious bias among some members of the board, who use distorted logic and language to protect antisemites. “No context or twisted logic can excuse such an atrocity.”
The World Jewish Congress expressed deep disappointment with the decision, stating, “The phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ in the charter of the terrorist organization Hamas is a clear call for violence against Israelis and the entire Jewish world. Jews everywhere have the absolute right to live freely as Jews, and Meta’s decision does not help eliminate explicit antisemitism. Words matter, especially in the aftermath of October 7.”
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