Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives That the Slogan, ``From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free'' is Antisemitic and its Use Must Be Condemned

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I will vote in support of H. Res. 883, a non-binding resolution that condemns the use of a slogan that has been used by some individuals and groups for antisemitic purposes, including as a rallying cry to deny the right to self-determination of the Jewish people or even to eliminate the State of Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

I believe the antisemitic use of this slogan should rightfully be condemned. For example, this slogan has been widely used by terrorist entities--including Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah--to encourage future attacks on Israel, the Jewish community and Jewish institutions. With antisemitism and antisemitic attacks on the rise in the U.S. and around the world, we must swiftly condemn antisemitism in all its forms.

However, this resolution should have been written better. For example, H. Res. 883, fails to acknowledge that some who use the phrase do so to advocate for Palestinian liberation and equality, and others-- including some members of the Jewish community--use the phrase to advocate for an end to the Israeli control and annexation of the West Bank and Gaza. The resolution should have noted that this slogan is not always intended to be used as antisemitic and not all who use the phrase are antisemitic.

As with other resolutions this Congress, H. Res. 883 also fails to condemn antisemitic acts from those on the far-right, including white nationalists who have increasingly promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories and have threatened the lives and livelihoods of Jewish Americans.

H. Res. 883 also treats the slogan ``from the river to the sea'' as one-sided. However, this phrase has also been used by right-wing Israelis--including by Prime Minister Netanyahu himself in January--to deny the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.

Let me be clear: I believe that both Israelis and Palestinians have a right to their own state. That's why I strongly support a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians recognize each other's right to live in peace and have prosperity.

I also unequivocally condemn all forms of antisemitism, and I am appalled by the significant rise in antisemitism we've seen in recent years and especially after Hamas's October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel. If the House Republican majority were serious about tackling antisemitism, they would support President Biden's National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, would quit trying to defund the Office of Civil Rights for Title VI enforcement which protects Jewish students, and would increase funding for the High-Risk Nonprofit Grant Program to secure Jewish institutions as a start. I urge House Republicans to prioritize real action to combat hate, rather than continue to waste time and resources on non-binding resolutions.

That's why I've cosponsored legislation that thoughtfully and powerfully condemns the rise of antisemitism in the United States and calls on Congress to support the above substantive actions to tackle antisemitism, which congressional Republicans have so far refused to do.

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