‘FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA’ BOOK REMOVED FROM GERMAN BOOK CHAIN

Tue 02 December 2025:

A children’s colouring book on the history and culture of Palestine has been removed from a German book chain, it was reported on Tuesday.

“From the River to the Sea”, by South African author and illustrator Nathi Ngubane, was removed by Hugendubel, one of the largest book retailers in Germany.

Following a request for comment by Judische Allgemeine, a Jewish weekly newspaper, Hugendubel said the book was “removed immediately upon learning of its existence”.

“We deeply regret that this literature was available at Hugendubel,” a spokesperson said.

“Hugendubel pursues a philosophy characterised by diversity, freedom of expression, and democratic thinking. We unequivocally distance ourselves from the stance expressed in these and other titles containing this opinion.”

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Reacting to the removal by Hugendubel, the book’s publisher Social Bandit Media wrote: “The book is an educational tool that pushes back against Zionist narratives. And it has only faced push back from Zionists”.

The title of the book is based on the decades-old chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, widely used by pro-Palestinian campaigners.

The phrase has featured prominently and historically in pro-Palestinian movements, but has recently come under renewed criticism with pro-Israeli advocates arguing that it implies the destruction of Israel.

Palestinian advocates however stress the slogan refers to the political and geographic landscape and is a call for equality and for the freedom of Palestinian people.

In June 2024, South Africa’s biggest bookstore chain pulled the book from sales, sparking protests online. The book was subsequently returned to shelves.

Earlier this year, the book was one of eight books confiscated by the Israeli police during its raid of the Educational Bookshop in occupied East Jerusalem.

It was also singled out by French media, politicians and social media users after the book was translated and appeared in a bookstore in France.

French channel CNews decried the book as “teaching kids to hate Israel”, while Europe 1 labelled its title a “Hamas slogan”.

Amid the backlash, some elected officials voiced their support for the bookstore, with Paris’s deputy mayor, Jean-Luc Romero-Michel, posting on X: “Full support to the Violette and Co bookstore, which is currently facing a campaign of intimidation and harassment for placing a colouring book on Palestine in its window.”

This article is republished from the Middle East Eye. Read the original article.