On Saturday (18th November) X owner Elon Musk reiterated that the use of terms like ‘from the river to the sea’ implies genocide and using such terms may result in the suspension of X accounts. Notably, ‘from the river to the sea’ is a part of the full slogan ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’. This refers to the land between the Jordan River, which forms the border between Israel and Jordan, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Elon Musk agreed that this slogan essentially means a call for genocide of the Jewish people living in Israel.
Elon Musk was replying to evolutionary biologist Colin Wright’s X post dated 15th November in which Wright said, “Decolonization is the woke version of jihad, and it should be viewed and treated that way. Remember, when Hamas terrorists were slaughtering Israeli civilians in the name of jihad on October 7, we were told by the woke that “this is what decolonization looks like.” When they tell us decolonization looks like jihad, we should believe them.”
Remember, when Hamas terrorists were slaughtering Israeli civilians in the name of jihad on October 7, we were told by the woke that "this is what decolonization looks like."
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) November 15, 2023
When they tell us decolonization looks like jihad, we should believe them.
In his response to this, Elon Musk wrote on 16th November, “Yes, “decolonization” necessarily implies a Jewish genocide, thus it is unacceptable to any reasonable person.”
Yes, “decolonization” necessarily implies a Jewish genocide, thus it is unacceptable to any reasonable person
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 15, 2023
Elon Musk reiterated this on 18th November and posted, “As I said earlier this week, “decolonization”, “from the river to the sea” and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide. Clear calls for extreme violence are against our terms of service and will result in suspension.”
As I said earlier this week, “decolonization”, “from the river to the sea” and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 17, 2023
Clear calls for extreme violence are against our terms of service and will result in suspension. https://t.co/1fCFo5Lezb
Explaining his stand further in one of his replies to comments on this post, Elon Musk wrote, “I am sticking to my principles! As for any fake advocacy groups who seek to suppress free speech, they should remember that karma is real.”
I am sticking to my principles!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023
As for any fake advocacy groups who seek to suppress free speech, they should remember that karma is real.
In a separate post on 18th November, Elon Musk said, “At the risk of stating the obvious, anyone advocating the genocide of any group will be suspended from this platform.”
At risk of stating the obvious, anyone advocating the genocide of *any* group will be suspended from this platform
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 17, 2023
Elon Musk, the proprietor of X, has recently faced controversy over a series of remarks that have been labelled as antisemitic by several organisations, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Musk drew criticism for endorsing an antisemitic post on X, wherein some accusations were made, alleging that Jewish individuals were promoting hatred against white people. “You have said the actual truth,” stated Musk, while posting from his personal account on X.
What is the meaning of the contentious slogan ‘From the River to the sea’?
The phrase “From the river to the sea” is a condensed version of the complete slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. It specifically alludes to the territory situated between the Jordan River, marking the eastern border of Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.
People raising this slogan want the land between the two boundaries to be free of Jewish people. They want the entire land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea to be Palestine, which means they want the elimination of the state Israel. This is clearly a call of genocide of Jews, essentially another Holocaust.
Elon Musk has expressed the view that this slogan could be interpreted as advocating for the elimination of the Jewish population residing in Israel. He has therefore called it a call for ethnic cleansing of Jews living there.
The Islamist ideology behind the slogan ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ is often seen as an intent of genocide. In 1966, Hafez al-Assad, the Syrian leader and father of the country’s current dictator, stated, “We shall only accept war and the restoration of the usurped land to oust you, aggressors, and throw you into the sea for good.”
Terrorist outfit Hamas, responsible for the deaths of 1,400 people on 7 October, asserts its rejection of Israel with the statement, “Hamas rejects any alternative to the full and complete liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea,” as outlined in the organisation’s 2017 constitution.
