British Home Secretary Suella Braverman landed in
controversy as she termed the pro-Palestine demonstrations in United Kingdom as
‘hate marches’. She asserted protesters have been advocating for the ‘erasure
of Israel from the map.’
From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free –
this chant recurrently heard at pro-Palestine rallies – is the core of the
controversy as Braverman interpreted it as a call for the destruction of Israel.
It refers to the territory from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.
However, its proponents argue that the slogan is a cry
for Palestinian liberation and self-determination, not a call for destruction.
A statement from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign blamed
Braverman of dehumanizing Palestinians with her statements.
A spokesperson said, “She has falsely asserted the
chant – From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free – is a call for the
eradication of Jewish Israelis, when it is actually a call for the dismantling
of the system of apartheid that affects all Palestinians, whether in Gaza, the
West Bank or Israel.”
NE Watch Desk
