X said on Saturday that the use of some terms associated with Israel’s war on Gaza, like “decolonisation” and “from the river to the sea” will lead to immediate suspension.
Musk took to X to claim that use of the two terms were equivalent to “advocating for genocide” against the Jewish people.
Pro-Palestine voices said Musk was conflating legitimate political expressions and accused him of limiting free speech.
Since Israel began bombing the Gaza Strip on October 7 it has so far killed 13,000 in Gaza in the space of just six weeks.
The onslaught has raised awareness around the decades of oppression Palestinians have faced at the hands of Israel.
From the river to the sea
The chant ‘From the river to the sea’ refers to the lands between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Jordan, and is deeply ingrained in Palestinian identity and culture.
It is repeated by exiled Palestinians because it speaks of their right to return to their stolen lands.
It also refers to the liberation and decolonisation of Palestine, and freedom for its people.
However, the chant has been misrepresented by pro-Israeli politicians and groups in Europe and the US as well by Israel itself, labeling it as a hate crime against Jewish people.
Decolonisation
Moreover, the term decolonisation simply means to free Palestine which has been occupied since 1948.
The Palestinian land was stolen 75 years ago, without their consent and with agreement of the United Nations itself.
In 1967, the remaining Palestinian land was occupied and still is to this day.
The 1967 occupation of Palestine is prohibited in International Law.
As I said earlier this week, “decolonization”, “from the river to the sea” and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide.
Clear calls for extreme violence are against our terms of service and will result in suspension. https://t.co/1fCFo5Lezb
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 17, 2023
