Chicago Ald. Rosanna Rodriguez Sanchez under fire for Palestinian slogan tweet some find antisemitic

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A controversial tweet by a Chicago Alderwoman Rosanna Rodriguez Sanchez is igniting debate about a slogan that has been a rallying cry for Palestinians, but is considered antisemitic by many Jewish Americans.

Rodriguez Sanchez tweeted "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The slogan is frequently chanted at pro-Palestinian rallies, but many Jewish Americans find it offensive, particularly since Hamas launched its attack on Israel in October, sparking the current war in Gaza.

"This means to the Jewish community erasing Israel, erasing the Jewish presence in our ancient homeland, and ending the Jewish experiment in the Middle East," said Dan Goldwin, executive director of public affairs for the Jewish United Fund.

READ MORE: Fights erupt outside LA Holocaust museum after film screening of Hamas attack

The phrase has been around for decades, and is considered to be a reference to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Hamas, in its 2017 charter, calls for the elimination of the state of Israel and references these boundaries. But Palestinian groups say the phrase bears a different meaning to them.

"Listen, I want peace and I want justice. This slogan is symbolic of peace and justice and equality. That's what it means," said Hatem Abudayyeh, chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

RELATED: Chicago protest outside Biden fundraiser calls for Gaza ceasefire

In a statement, Ald. Rodriguez Sanchez defended the tweet, saying in part, "This is a moment to continue to sound the alarm around the right of Palestinians to live. No one should be scared to use that phrase. The freedom of Palestinians is not contradictory with the ability of others to exist."

Jewish groups are calling for an apology. Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, the only Jewish member of the Chicago City Council, responded in her own statement, saying in part, "Alderwoman Rodriguez-Sanchez is the head of the Human Relations committee, where she is tasked with protecting the human rights of all our city's residents. She should have known better."

The two alderwomen have been publicly at odds recently, when Silverstein proposed a resolution in city council condemning the Hamas attack. Rodriguez Sanchez pushed back against that, but the council did approve the resolution.