The English Football Association (FA) is set to communicate with football clubs, urging players to refrain from using the phrase “from river to the sea” in their social media posts.
This decision follows an incident involving Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhury, who publicly apologized for using the phrase in a post related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The phrase “from river to the sea” is commonly seen as expressing support for Palestinian nationalism. In response to its use, the FA stated that if this phrase appears in social media posts by football participants again, they will consult with the police to determine an appropriate response.
Choudhury clarified on Tuesday that his intention had been to convey compassion for the innocent people suffering in the conflict. He has since deleted the post and expressed his hope for a peaceful resolution to end the suffering of innocent individuals in the ongoing conflict.
Leicester City also addressed the matter, expressing concerns about the potential for misinterpretation when discussing such a complex and sensitive topic without sufficient context.
In an official statement, the FA announced their decision to write to all clubs, underlining that the phrase is considered offensive by many and should be avoided in players’ social media posts. They emphasized the importance of ensuring that players do not share content that might be offensive or inflammatory to any community.
During a pro-Palestinian march in London, the phrase was chanted, referring to the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean. Different interpretations of the phrase exist, with some considering it an expression of a desire to eliminate Israel, while others argue it represents a call to end Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, rather than advocating for Israel’s destruction.
