RELEASE: House Passes Gottheimer-led Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Antisemitic “From the River to the Sea” Chants

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (NY-4), and Congressman Jared Moskowitz (FL-23) led a bipartisan resolution that successfully passed the House. The resolution, H.R. 883, condemns the chant “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free” as antisemitic. The resolution passed the House by a vote of 377-44-1.

“I’m proud to have led and passed this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues, Representatives D’Esposito and Moskowitz. Our resolution makes it clear that the slogan ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ is antisemitic and calls for the total eradication of the Jewish, democratic state of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people,” said U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “As Members of Congress, we have a right — and a responsibility — to condemn disgusting, divisive, and dehumanizing chants. I will never stop fighting against prejudice and hate — in any form.”

According to new data released by the Anti-Defamation League or ADL, there were nearly 9,000 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2023 — the highest number on record since the ADL started tracking antisemitism in 1979. This included 5,200 incidents following October 7th — more than all of 2022 — and 830 incidents in New Jersey, specifically. Prominent Jewish organizations, including the ADL and the American Jewish Committee, have condemned “From the River to the Sea” chants as antisemitic.

Just last week, the ADL released its annual report card, grading antisemitism on our nation’s college campuses. No Ivy League university received higher than a C. In New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick and Princeton University both received a D.

###