Germany Weighs Ban On ‘From The River To The Sea’
Germany’s top official tasked with combating antisemitism is pushing for a new law that would outlaw slogans like “From the river to the sea,” arguing that such chants increasingly function as calls for Israel’s destruction. Felix Klein said his proposal — already endorsed by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt — is now in the hands of the Justice Ministry for review.
Klein explained that the meaning of the chant shifted dramatically after the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7. “Before Oct. 7, you could have said that ‘From the river to the sea’ doesn’t necessarily mean kicking Israelis off the land, and I could accept that,” he said. “But since then, Israel has really been facing existential threats, and unfortunately, it has become necessary here to limit freedom of speech in this regard.”
He noted that even if critics challenge the legislation on constitutional grounds, he believes Germany must move forward. Klein has served since 2018 as the country’s first “Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism,” and he said the measure is essential given the current climate.
The aftermath of Oct. 7 forced Germany to confront deep tensions between its post-Holocaust commitment to Israel and the protections of a democratic society. The war in Gaza and Hamas’ massacre inside Israel prompted spikes in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents, while also generating disputes about the country’s identity and obligations.
Current law offers little uniform guidance on pro-Palestinian speech. Courts must decide, case by case, whether someone shouting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” supports a peaceful vision or promotes terror. In August 2024, German-Iranian activist Ava Moayeri was convicted of condoning a crime for leading that chant during a Berlin demonstration on Oct. 11, 2023.
Immediately after the attacks, authorities across Germany rolled out broad restrictions on pro-Palestinian protests. In Berlin, schools were even permitted to ban keffiyehs and slogans like “Free Palestine,” part of a sweeping effort to curb what officials said could lead to unrest.
The clampdown reached Jewish critics of Israel as well. One Jewish Israeli woman was arrested after displaying a sign reading “As a Jew and Israeli: Stop the genocide in Gaza.” Police also blocked an event organized by “Jewish Berliners against Violence in the Middle East,” claiming it could spark disorder or “inflammatory, antisemitic exclamations.”
This year, immigration authorities ordered four non-German nationals — three Europeans and one American — to be deported over their alleged activities at pro-Palestinian rallies. Officials cited “Staatsräson,” the doctrine that Germany’s commitment to Israel is fundamental to its own legitimacy. But attorney Alexander Gorski, who represents the individuals facing deportation, dismissed that reasoning. “Staatsräson is not a legal concept,” he said. “It’s completely irrelevant. It’s not in the German Basic Law, it’s not in the constitution.”
Jewish leaders have emphasized that the atmosphere created by widespread criticism of Israel has emboldened antisemites. Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria and a Holocaust survivor, argued that fury at Israel has become a convenient mask. “It is sufficient cause in itself to fuel the hatred,” she said.
Recent incidents underscored how far the hostility has spread. A shop in Flensburg posted a sign declaring “Jews are banned here,” a violation of German anti-discrimination law. But a restaurant in Fürth that declared “We no longer accept Israelis in our establishment” may not face punishment, because national origin is not currently a protected category. Anti-discrimination commissioner Ferda Ataman confirmed that the law does not cover discrimination based on nationality. Klein said he has already begun work on legislation to close that gap.
Klein’s relationship with Jewish communities dates back to his earlier role in the Foreign Office, where he liaised with international Jewish organizations and helped draft the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s “working definition” of antisemitism in 2016. That definition has been heavily debated, with critics arguing it blurs the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism.
For Klein, the distinction is indeed narrow. “I think in most cases it is — it’s just a disguised form of antisemitism,” he said. “When people say they’re anti-Israel, what they really mean is Jews.”
{Matzav.com}
