Sept 4 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' ( META ) Oversight

Board said on Wednesday the Facebook parent should not

automatically remove a phrase seen by some as displaying

solidarity with Palestinians and by others as an endorsement of

violence against Jews.

The board, which operates independently but is funded by the

U.S. social media firm, said the phrase "From the river to the

sea" has several meanings, and as such its use cannot in itself

be deemed to be harmful, violent or discriminatory.

The phrase refers to the River Jordan and the Mediterranean

Sea, between which lie Israel and the Palestinian territories.

It is often chanted at pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Critics of the phrase say it is antisemitic and a call

for Israel's eradication. Other groups dispute that

interpretation.

"Context is crucial," said Oversight Board co-chair Pamela

San Martin. "Simply removing political speech is not a solution.

There needs to be room for debate, especially during times of

crisis and conflict."

The Oversight Board said it came to the conclusion after it

had reviewed three cases involving content posted on Facebook by

different users containing the phrase.

"We welcome the board's review of our guidance on this

matter," Meta said in a statement. "While all of our policies

are developed with safety in mind, we know they come with global

challenges and we regularly seek input from experts outside

Meta, including the Oversight Board."

Alex Abdo, litigation director of the Knight First

Amendment Institute at Columbia University that promotes free

speech, called the decision by the board "thoughtful (and in my

opinion, correct)."

The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, said

the decision was "short-sighted."

"Usage of this phrase has the effect of making members of

the Jewish and pro-Israel community feel unsafe and ostracized,"

it said.

The board also called on Meta to improve access to data for

journalists and researchers, less than a month after Meta

discontinued CrowdTangle, a tool widely used to check

misinformation and conduct research on content on Meta's

platforms, including Instagram.