Protesters Regret 'From the River to the Sea' Chant Upon Learning Meaning

[Antonius123]

Protesters Regret 'From the River to the Sea' Chant Upon Learning Meaning​

"From the river to the sea" is a battle cry chanted by pro-Palestinian groups across college campuses and major cities.
The phrase, which refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, is often seen by pro-Palestinian voices as a call for dignity and freedom. The call for action looks to restore Palestinians' land and political rights. However, to Israel and its supporters, it takes on a different meaning, often seen as a call to exterminate Israel as a Jewish state and the millions of Jewish people living in it.

A new survey found many potential protesters couldn't explain the meaning behind the controversial phrase. UC Berkeley professor Ron Hassner hired a survey firm to poll 250 college students from across the country, and a majority, or roughly 86 percent, said they supported the phrase, a common protest chant to express support for Palestinians in the ongoing conflict against Israel.
Still, only 47 percent could name the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, which historically encompassed Palestine and today includes both Israel and Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators close down the Brooklyn Bridge on Monday morning in New York City. The divisive phrase "from the river to the sea" is often chanted by pro-Palestinian groups as a call for equality, but Israelis and their supporters hear it as a push for Israel's demise. A new survey found many potential protesters couldn't explain the battle cry's meaning.SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES
And even more surprising, once students learned more about the region, 67.8 percent of those surveyed no longer agreed with the sentiment.

Israel and Hamas have been in a violent conflict since October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people, according to the Associated Press, while subsequent Israeli military strikes in Gaza have led to the deaths of at least 20,000 people.
In response, many groups have demonstrated while chanting "from the river to the sea." According to the survey, many students believed the sentiment was expressing support for the idea of Palestinians and Israel living peacefully side by side.

Even among students who said the chant called for Palestinians to force Israel out of Gaza and agreed with it, 60 percent changed their minds when learning it would cause 7 million Jewish and 2 million Arab Israelis "subjugation, expulsion or annihilation," Hassner said.
"There's no shame in being ignorant, unless one is screaming for the extermination of millions," Hassner wrote in a Wall Street Journal piece describing his study.
Sign up for Newsweek’s daily headlines
"An art student from a liberal arts college in New England 'probably' supported the slogan because 'Palestinians and Israelis should live together in one state,'" Hassner said in the article. "But when informed of recent polls in which most Palestinians and Israelis rejected the one-state solution, this student lost his enthusiasm. So did 41% of students in that group."

So why are so many students supporting a stance on an issue they know little about, or even going to protest on campus or in city streets?
Psychologist Thomas Plant said that for many, being a part of a cause or group is about developing an identity.
"In our current age of social media, people think about issues in terms of tweets or bumper sticker slogans," Plant told Newsweek. "Like so many other issues of the day, the Middle East conflict is extremely complicated at so many levels. People don't necessarily have the time or interest to educate themselves about these complexities, preferring to stick with slogans and feel the support of a group that helps to create community and an identity."

According to Adam Swart, CEO and founder of Crowds on Demand, a firm that helps organizations advocate for important causes and settle disputes, protest organizers have been linking their events to broader movements like "Black Lives Matter" through a shared narrative of struggle and solidarity.
Succinct slogans, like "from the river to the sea" or "defund the police" often demand others' attention, and they are especially popular to younger audiences like college students.
"In a digital age marked by extensive social media engagement, many individuals feel a sense of urgency to participate in these discussions," Swart told Newsweek. "This phenomenon is partly driven by FOMO [fear of missing out], a prevailing belief in some groups that remaining silent on these issues could be interpreted as complicity."

There's also a desire by many people, especially students, to be involved in the "hot" social media issue of the day and "not so much due to a true genuine desire to either make a difference or have a positive, meaningful impact made," William Hall, political science professor at Webster University, told Newsweek.
Hall said that historically, protesters devote the time to become informed about the key issues and stances they represent. But more modern-day protests, including those over the Middle East conflict, mark a deviation from the historical norm that might be amplified by today's social media.

Enduring Ignorance of Middle Eastern Conflict​

Ignorance around the Middle East has been present in the United States for a long time, according to Joseph Richard Guthein, a Texas-based attorney at Gutheinz Law Firm.

Around 45 years ago, Guthein was earning his Ph.D. in sociology at the University of California, Davis, and he got to observe a group of students demonstrating in favor of Palestinians against Israel.
"When I interviewed those college students, I was floored by the large number of students I interviewed that had no idea what countries bordered Israel or any basic facts about the history of Israel or Palestine," Guthein told Newsweek.
He added students knew very little about any terrorist attacks against Israel, including the Munich Olympics massacre that ended in the murders of 11 Israeli Olympic team athletes.

"When I offered examples of savage terrorist attacks against Jewish people, the students either didn't care or didn't believe it," Guthein said.
Still, Guthein has noted a stark difference in pro-Palestinian protesters today.
"The biggest change I have seen over 40 years is now many demonstrators know of the atrocities and are glad they happened," Guthein said.

Protesters regret "from the river to the sea" chant upon learning meaning

A new survey found many students couldn't explain the meaning of the pro-Palestinian rallying cry.

www.newsweek.com

@MCK @Cryptonian @spammmmer @Hamartia Antidote @Truth @TruthSeeker @Sharma Ji @Get Ya Wig Split @dbc @F-22Raptor

 

[Developereo]

Enduring Ignorance of Middle Eastern Conflict​

Yes, there is entirely too little public knowledge around the Israel-Palestine conflict. Most people only hear the pro-Israeli narrative blasted by the mainstream Western media which also dominates the globe.

But now people are hearing the other side of the story more and more.

You can thank Israel for that.

 

[Musings]

Yes, there is entirely too little public knowledge around the Israel-Palestine conflict. Most people only hear the pro-Israeli narrative blasted by the mainstream Western media which also dominates the globe.

But now people are hearing the other side of the story more and more.

You can thank Israel for that.

Hit the mark. Great post.
When any remark is made about Israel that is not accepted becomes antisemitic.
Like the crowd that have been tagged - 2 banned and some hearty fellows I have to keep my eyes on….

 

[Developereo]

When any remark is made about Israel that is not accepted becomes antisemitic.

“An anti-Semite used to be a person who disliked Jews. Now it is a person who Jews dislike.”
– Hajo Meyer, Jewish German-born Dutch physicist and Auschwitz survivor.

Nine Holocaust survivors compare Zionist policies to those of the Nazis — Labour Briefing

Here are five short extracts from Holocaust survivors who oppose recent Israeli policies, likening them to those of the Nazis. In the sixth extract, the author – again a holocaust survivor – compares key policies of the wartime Zionist movement to those of the Nazis.

labourbriefing.org

 

[Antonius123]

Yes, there is entirely too little public knowledge around the Israel-Palestine conflict. Most people only hear the pro-Israeli narrative blasted by the mainstream Western media which also dominates the globe.

But now people are hearing the other side of the story more and more.

You can thank Israel for that.

The pro Palestine already spread propaganda all over the world., so they don't lack publication for it.

The problem is the propaganda and framing they play are inconsistent and dishonest, therefore confusing the audience.

This article proves that many protester chanted for free Palestine but unaware what it was supposed to mean; and after they realize the meaning they regret it, because the nature is against humanity and justice and unjustifiable, leading to ethnic cleansing if not genocide.

 

[Developereo]

The pro Palestine already spread propaganda all over the world., so they don't lack publication for it.

Before social media it was impossible to compete with mainstream Western media. Even Russian, Chinese, or Indian media cannot compete on a global scale. Social media is making things better but It is still an uneven battle.

The problem is the propaganda and framing they play are inconsistent and not quite honest, therefore confusing the audience.

This article proves that many protester chanted for free Palestine but unaware what it was supposed to mean; and after they realize the meaning they regret it, because the nature is against humanity and justice and unjustifiable.

Western media has done an excellent job of conflating anti-Zionism with anti-semitism. This deliberate brainwashing has been in place for over a century. It will take time to dismantle and educate people about the difference.

As my link above demonstrates, even Holocaust survivors are horrified that the Zionists are abusing the horrors of the Holocaust as a justification of their crimes.

Finally, as I stated in another thread, a Palestinian state does not require killing all Jews as a prerequisite. An equitable and accommodative solution can be found if moderates on both sides look for it.

 

[vsdoc]

Protesters Regret 'From the River to the Sea' Chant Upon Learning Meaning​

"From the river to the sea" is a battle cry chanted by pro-Palestinian groups across college campuses and major cities.
The phrase, which refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, is often seen by pro-Palestinian voices as a call for dignity and freedom. The call for action looks to restore Palestinians' land and political rights. However, to Israel and its supporters, it takes on a different meaning, often seen as a call to exterminate Israel as a Jewish state and the millions of Jewish people living in it.

A new survey found many potential protesters couldn't explain the meaning behind the controversial phrase. UC Berkeley professor Ron Hassner hired a survey firm to poll 250 college students from across the country, and a majority, or roughly 86 percent, said they supported the phrase, a common protest chant to express support for Palestinians in the ongoing conflict against Israel.
Still, only 47 percent could name the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, which historically encompassed Palestine and today includes both Israel and Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators close down the Brooklyn Bridge on Monday morning in New York City. The divisive phrase "from the river to the sea" is often chanted by pro-Palestinian groups as a call for equality, but Israelis and their supporters hear it as a push for Israel's demise. A new survey found many potential protesters couldn't explain the battle cry's meaning.SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES
And even more surprising, once students learned more about the region, 67.8 percent of those surveyed no longer agreed with the sentiment.

Israel and Hamas have been in a violent conflict since October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people, according to the Associated Press, while subsequent Israeli military strikes in Gaza have led to the deaths of at least 20,000 people.
In response, many groups have demonstrated while chanting "from the river to the sea." According to the survey, many students believed the sentiment was expressing support for the idea of Palestinians and Israel living peacefully side by side.

Even among students who said the chant called for Palestinians to force Israel out of Gaza and agreed with it, 60 percent changed their minds when learning it would cause 7 million Jewish and 2 million Arab Israelis "subjugation, expulsion or annihilation," Hassner said.
"There's no shame in being ignorant, unless one is screaming for the extermination of millions," Hassner wrote in a Wall Street Journal piece describing his study.
Sign up for Newsweek’s daily headlines
"An art student from a liberal arts college in New England 'probably' supported the slogan because 'Palestinians and Israelis should live together in one state,'" Hassner said in the article. "But when informed of recent polls in which most Palestinians and Israelis rejected the one-state solution, this student lost his enthusiasm. So did 41% of students in that group."

So why are so many students supporting a stance on an issue they know little about, or even going to protest on campus or in city streets?
Psychologist Thomas Plant said that for many, being a part of a cause or group is about developing an identity.
"In our current age of social media, people think about issues in terms of tweets or bumper sticker slogans," Plant told Newsweek. "Like so many other issues of the day, the Middle East conflict is extremely complicated at so many levels. People don't necessarily have the time or interest to educate themselves about these complexities, preferring to stick with slogans and feel the support of a group that helps to create community and an identity."

According to Adam Swart, CEO and founder of Crowds on Demand, a firm that helps organizations advocate for important causes and settle disputes, protest organizers have been linking their events to broader movements like "Black Lives Matter" through a shared narrative of struggle and solidarity.
Succinct slogans, like "from the river to the sea" or "defund the police" often demand others' attention, and they are especially popular to younger audiences like college students.
"In a digital age marked by extensive social media engagement, many individuals feel a sense of urgency to participate in these discussions," Swart told Newsweek. "This phenomenon is partly driven by FOMO [fear of missing out], a prevailing belief in some groups that remaining silent on these issues could be interpreted as complicity."

There's also a desire by many people, especially students, to be involved in the "hot" social media issue of the day and "not so much due to a true genuine desire to either make a difference or have a positive, meaningful impact made," William Hall, political science professor at Webster University, told Newsweek.
Hall said that historically, protesters devote the time to become informed about the key issues and stances they represent. But more modern-day protests, including those over the Middle East conflict, mark a deviation from the historical norm that might be amplified by today's social media.

Enduring Ignorance of Middle Eastern Conflict​

Ignorance around the Middle East has been present in the United States for a long time, according to Joseph Richard Guthein, a Texas-based attorney at Gutheinz Law Firm.

Around 45 years ago, Guthein was earning his Ph.D. in sociology at the University of California, Davis, and he got to observe a group of students demonstrating in favor of Palestinians against Israel.
"When I interviewed those college students, I was floored by the large number of students I interviewed that had no idea what countries bordered Israel or any basic facts about the history of Israel or Palestine," Guthein told Newsweek.
He added students knew very little about any terrorist attacks against Israel, including the Munich Olympics massacre that ended in the murders of 11 Israeli Olympic team athletes.

"When I offered examples of savage terrorist attacks against Jewish people, the students either didn't care or didn't believe it," Guthein said.
Still, Guthein has noted a stark difference in pro-Palestinian protesters today.
"The biggest change I have seen over 40 years is now many demonstrators know of the atrocities and are glad they happened," Guthein said.

Protesters regret "from the river to the sea" chant upon learning meaning

A new survey found many students couldn't explain the meaning of the pro-Palestinian rallying cry.

www.newsweek.com

@MCK @Cryptonian @spammmmer @Hamartia Antidote @Truth @TruthSeeker @Sharma Ji @Get Ya Wig Split @dbc @F-22Raptor

You've got to be nuts looking at the geography of Israel and knowing the basics of their history as a people not to realise what this chant would mean to anyone.

Playing word games in my view.

Cheers, Doc

 

[Antonius123]

The pro Palestine already spread propaganda all over the world., so they don't lack publication for it.

The problem is the propaganda and framing they play are inconsistent and not quite honest, therefore confusing the audience.

This article proves that many protester chanted for free Palestine but unaware what it was supposed to mean; and after they realize the meaning they regret it, because the nature is against humanity and justice and unjustifiable, leading to ethnic cleansing if not genocide.

I debated with many people in Indonesia.

Some of them thinking free Palestine means Israel to remove restriction on her border with Gaza, some think means Israel to withdraw from West Bank zone C, some of them think it means Palestinian government rule from river to sea supplanting Israel.

It portray various understanding the meaning of freedom of Palestine. So I conclude even many of them are clueless.

 

[Developereo]

I debated with many people in Indonesia.

Some of them think free Palestine means Israel to remove restriction on her border with Gaza, some think means Israel to withdraw from West Bank zone C, some of them think it means Palestinian government rule from river to sea supplanting Israel.

It portray various understanding the meaning of freedom of Palestine. So I conclude even many of them are clueless.

It's not a matter of having a clue but different opinions. In all situations you have moderate and extreme views.

You've got to be nuts looking at the geography of Israel and knowing the basics of their history as a people not to realise what this chant would mean to anyone.

Playing word games in my view.

Cheers, Doc

The way I see it, the entire State of Israel is an unnatural remnant of European colonialism. Nowhere else in the world that I am aware of did the colonialists import the future residents of a piece of land. Instead they bequeathed the land to the people living there at the time of granting nationhood.

The millions that went across the borders of India-Pakistan in 1947 did so with the permission of India and Pakistan, not the British.

The entire region should have been a Palestinian State if the Brits had followed the rules applied elsewhere. However, for compassion, I think we should let the Jews born in Israel to live there; they cannot be punished for their parents' or grandparents' crimes.

 

[Persian Gulf]

Zionists: we must have security control (and eventually a Jewish state) from the river to the sea

Palestinians: we want freedom from the river to the sea

Zionists: that is antisemitic, shut it down!

 

[Antonius123]

It's not a matter of having a clue but different opinions. In all situations you have moderate and extreme views.

It is.

Because the reality the freedom that Hamas desire is freedom from river to sea, while many of my moslem friends don't think so.

 

[Developereo]

Because the reality the freedom that Hamas desire is freedom from river to sea, while many of my moslem friends don't think so.

Hamas is a product of its environment. When you see your children, women and old people humiliated, jailed and even killed on a regular basis, it creates a certain reaction.

It is unfair for the rest of us to judge how people should respond in such a situation.

 

[Antonius123]

Hamas is a product of its environment. When you see your children, women and old people humiliated, jailed and even killed on a regular basis, it creates a certain reaction.

It is unfair for the rest of us to judge how people should respond in such a situation.

They are NOT satisfied with 2 state solutions, and doesn't consider the implication on humanity of their desire. World can't justify that certainly.

 

[vsdoc]

It's not a matter of having a clue but different opinions. In all situations you have moderate and extreme views.



The way I see it, the entire State of Israel is an unnatural remnant of European colonialism. Nowhere else in the world that I am aware of did the colonialists import the future residents of a piece of land. Instead they bequeathed the land to the people living there at the time of granting nationhood.

The millions that went across the borders of India-Pakistan in 1947 did so with the permission of India and Pakistan, not the British.

The entire region should have been a Palestinian State if the Brits had followed the rules applied elsewhere. However, for compassion, I think we should let the Jews born in Israel to live there; they cannot be punished for their parents' or grandparents' crimes.

The way I see it, there is no way the Jews could and would have lived in Europe after the world war.

A Jewish state had to be given to them for the genocide they suffered.

As reparations by the victors.

And Judaism is the original ancestral faith of the land. There is no way around that fact and the wars that were fought since then over thousands of years.

India has been historically kind to the Palestinian cause. I know a lady who was once married to a Palestinian diplomat posted here.

Cheers, Doc

 

[Persian Gulf]

The way I see it, there is no way the Jews could and would have lived in Europe after the world war.

A Jewish state had to be given to them for the genocide they suffered.

As reparations by the victors.

Jews continue to live in Europe to this day and are highly successful

Suffer a genocide = win a state? Does this only work for Jews?

Reparations by the victors for the crimes of the losers (Germany) means Palestinians have to pay the price for the genocide raffle prize of winning a state?