Cotton introduces resolution against ‘From The River To The Sea’ mantra
Arkansas GOP Senator Introduces Resolution Condemning Anti-Israel Slogan
This week, Arkansas GOP senator Tom Cotton, a staunch supporter of the state of Israel and an equally staunch foe of Israel’s mortal enemy Iran, introduced a Senate resolution condemning the slogan, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.”
The resolution states that the slogan and its derivations are a call for the genocide of Jewish people and the destruction of the Jewish state.
“People who invoke this disgraceful, antisemitic slogan are calling for the mass murder of Jews, whether they know it or not. On October 7, the world saw the genocidal intent of the phrase, ‘From the River to the Sea.’ No one who uses this phrase should escape condemnation,” Cotton stated.
Co-sponsors of the resolution included Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Katie Britt (R-AL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Kennedy (R-LA), John Boozman (R-AR), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dan Sullivan (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) John Thune (R-S.D), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and James Lankford (R-OK).
Leading conservative British MP Suella Braverman wrote roughly one week after the October 7 Hamas massacre of 1200 Israelis that “From the river to the sea” is “a slogan that is widely understood as a demand for the destruction of Israel. Attempts to pretend otherwise are disingenuous. It means the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea- the boundaries of Israel – and comes from the dark days when most Palestinian groups sought to eliminate Israel. It was dropped by mainstream organisations after Israel and the PLO made peace with the 1993 Oslo Accords.”
“The slogan was taken up by Islamists, including Hamas, and remains a staple of antisemitic discourse,” she continued. “To hear it shouted in public causes alarm not just to Jews but to all decent people. Those who promote hate on Britain’s streets should realise that our tolerance has limits.”
Last weekend an intimidating mob marched through London chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – a slogan that is widely understood as a demand for the destruction of Israel. Attempts to pretend otherwise are disingenuous. 1/3
— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) October 16, 2023
The slogan was taken up by Islamists, including Hamas, and remains a staple of antisemitic discourse. To hear it shouted in public causes alarm not just to Jews but to all decent people. Those who promote hate on Britain’s streets should realise that our tolerance has limits. 3/3
— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) October 16, 2023
Cotton, who served in combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has opposed Iran for years. He led the fight against the Iran nuclear deal, signed by Barack Obama.
In mid-October, just after the Hamas massacre, President Biden nominated Jack Lew as the new ambassador to Israel. Cotton fiercely criticized the choice when he was asked if the Senate should expedite the nomination, saying, “Absolutely not. Jack Lew is an Iran sympathizer who has no business being our ambassador. It’s bad for the United States. It’s bad for Israel to have an Iran sympathizer as our ambassador to that country. He helped Iran evade American sanctions, and he lied to Congress about it. He defended the Obama administration’s refusal to use our veto … in the final days of the Obama administration to protect Israel from anti-Semitic resolutions.”
On December 2, Cotton stated, “From 2009 forward and under Barack Obama first and now Joe Biden — Democratic Party’s Middle East policy has been to elevate Iran and to empower Iran, in part because of Barack Obama’s delusional ideological beliefs that it’s the United States to blame for the tensions our country has had with Iran going back to 1979. Not the crazed Ayatollah who took Americans hostage and held them more than 400 days or have been killing Americans in various ways and places ever since. But Barack Obama believed it was Iran that was faulted by the United States.”
What are the concerns raised by Senator Cotton and his colleagues regarding the slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free”?
SuellaBraverman) October 16, 2023
The introduction of the resolution by Senator Tom Cotton highlights the growing concern over the use of the slogan ”From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” This slogan, which has gained prominence in recent years, has been widely interpreted as a call for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish state.
In his statement, Senator Cotton emphasized that those who use this slogan, whether consciously or not, are essentially advocating for the mass murder of Jews. He pointed to the genocidal intent behind the phrase and emphasized that no one should escape condemnation for using such a disgraceful and antisemitic slogan.
The resolution introduced by Senator Cotton also received support from several co-sponsors, demonstrating bipartisan concern over the issue. Senators from various states, including Tennessee, Wyoming, Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, joined Cotton in condemning the slogan. This united front against the use of such a hateful expression sends a clear message that there is no tolerance for antisemitism in the United States.
The concerns raised by Senator Cotton and his colleagues are not limited to the United States. Conservative British MP Suella Braverman echoed their sentiment, stressing that the slogan is widely understood as a demand for the destruction of Israel. She highlighted the alarming nature of hearing such a slogan chanted in public and emphasized that the tolerance of hate has its limits.
Braverman also provided historical context, explaining that the slogan was dropped by mainstream Palestinian organizations after the 1993 Oslo Accords, which signaled a shift towards peace. However, it was later adopted by Islamists, including Hamas, and continues to be used as a staple of antisemitic discourse.
The introduction of this resolution and the support it has garnered reflect a growing awareness and concern over the rise of antisemitism and the use of hateful rhetoric against Israel. By condemning the use of the slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free,” lawmakers and public figures are taking a stand against hate and sending a message that promoting violence and the destruction of a nation is unacceptable.
It is crucial that these condemnations are not only limited to words but also lead to concrete actions to combat antisemitism and promote peaceful coexistence. By raising awareness of the hateful nature of this slogan and its implications, lawmakers are taking an important step in ensuring that antisemitism is not tolerated in society.
As discussions around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continue, it is important to remember that differences of opinion should be expressed through respectful dialogue and diplomacy, rather than the promotion of hate and violence. The introduction of this resolution serves as a reminder that hateful slogans and rhetoric undermine the possibility of finding a peaceful resolution and only contribute to further division and hostility.
Moving forward, it is hoped that the condemnation of this antisemitic slogan will encourage individuals and communities to engage in meaningful conversations and work towards fostering understanding and cooperation. By promoting dialogue and rejecting hate, there is a greater chance of achieving a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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