Germany will refuse citizenship to anyone who engages with the slogan ‘From the river to the sea’ on social media under the pretext of supporting Palestine, local media said on Sunday.

North German Radio and Television (NDR) said that anyone who expresses likes or comments on ‘From the river to the sea’ on social media will never be considered for citizenship in Germany. The newcomer regulations devised by the German Interior Ministry show that those who employ this slogan shall never be allowed to be German citizens.

Get real started with the 1960s slogan calling for the total liberation of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. This decision comes after Germany passed its dual citizenship law on June 27.

Germany’s History of Antisemitism

Germany has hatred towards antisemitism because of World War II and the holocaust that happened in the country. Even more, the German government has been compassionate on anything that may be considered as incitement of hate for Jews. This vigilance is reflected in the country’s laws, which prohibit the denying the holocaust and also the use of Nazi symbols in public.

 Many people regard the decision of the Canadian government to refuse citizenship to those who support themselves with pro-Palestinian slogans as a continuation of such endeavors to eradicate antisemitism in all its manifestations. There is a critical idea that authorities continue insisting that some calls, including those that encourage violence against Israel, are examples of antisemitism.

The current Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has also supported Israel openly through his government as it has denounced violence coupled with threats against any Jewish persons in Germany. This policy is another move aimed at reversing the trend of what has been noticed as the growing rates of anti–Israel sentiments as evidenced in social media. 

The government indeed thinks that anyone aspiring to hold German citizenship ought to fully accept the country’s Constitution, which prohibits hatred in all its forms, including anti-Semitism.

Free Speech Concerns

Opponents have said that the new policy is totalitarian since it suppresses freedom of speech. Free speech is essential in democracies; people can speak on anything, including politics, notwithstanding if the information they share is unpopular. There is the risk that people who are going to receive actual antisemitic messages may be targeted for their opposition to specific Israeli policies.

They claimed that rather than urging a specific campaign to stop the use of certain slogans, the authorities should allow free speech to prevail, with diverse opinions being presented in a manner that does not incite violence and hatred.

Consequences on the Palestinian Community

Germany has a large number of Palestinians and people from other Arabic countries, and most of them may have some kind of feelings towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For these communities, the German government’s posturing could be deemed an insult to the right to freedom of political assembly. The policy may be made to check extremism, but it acts as a way of marginalization that denies a section of the people a chance to be heard.

The concern is that this may already make other vulnerable groups more vulnerable, thereby raising social tensions. A different issue that has been expressed is that those who, in a way, support the Palestinian cause might be stopped and prosecuted. Criticisms of eroticized protest are not anchored in supporting violence but in demanding social justice for the Palestinian people.