Spanish Museum Renames 'River to the Sea' Events After Complaints

Madrid's Reina Sofia Museum, one of Spain’s most visited cultural institutions, has changed the name of a controversial pro-Palestinian program following complaints from the Israeli embassy and the Jewish community. The program was originally titled "From The River To the Sea," a phrase often used in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests that is considered by many to call for the destruction of Israel.

The slogan, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," refers to the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which includes Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Jewish groups have condemned the slogan as antisemitic, arguing that it implies the elimination of Israel.

In response to the backlash, the Reina Sofia Museum released a statement announcing the program’s new name: "Critical Thinking Gatherings, International Solidarity With Palestine." The museum acknowledged that the original title was "offensive to certain communities."

The program consists of lectures, discussions, and meetings with Palestinian artists, alongside two art installations. The museum’s website states that the program aims to demand “an end of the war and genocide.”

Spain’s Federation of Jewish Communities (FCJE) had strongly denounced the original title, stating, “This slogan, considered antisemitic by the US House of Representatives, implies the elimination of Israel and its inhabitants… it also appears on maps at various rallies where Israel is erased.”

In April, the US House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the chant as antisemitic by a vote of 377 to 44.

Spain has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s actions in the conflict with Hamas in Gaza, pushing for European nations to recognize a Palestinian state. The conflict escalated on October 7 when Hamas terrorists launched a large-scale attack on southern Israeli communities, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the taking of 252 hostages. It is believed that 128 of these hostages remain in Gaza, not all of them alive.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry claims over 35,000 people have been killed in the fighting, though this figure cannot be independently verified. Israel reports that it has killed around 15,000 terror operatives and 1,000 terrorists during the October 7 incursion.

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Spanish Museum Renames 'River to the Sea' Events After Complaints