A Bay Area woman has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) after the agency moved to recall her vanity license plate. Iasmine Abdennabi alleges the DMV violated her First Amendment rights by revoking the plate, which featured the letters "RVRTSEA." This sequence is a reference to the phrase "From the river to the sea."
The slogan, which refers to the geographic area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, is interpreted differently by various groups. Pro-Palestine activists often view it as a call for freedom and equality for all people in the region. However, Jewish organizations and many others consider the phrase to be antisemitic, as they believe it implies the elimination of Israel.
According to court documents, Abdennabi applied for the custom plate in December 2023, shortly after the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel initiated the current conflict in Gaza. She stated in the lawsuit that the plate was intended to express support for human rights for everyone living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
Abdennabi received the vanity plates in May 2024. However, by October 2025, the DMV began the process of recalling them. This action followed complaints from multiple drivers who saw the plate on Abdennabi's vehicle. One complainant reportedly wrote to the DMV, expressing shock that the plate had been issued and stating that it "supports terrorism and encourages violence."
The DMV's records indicated that the phrase could be "interpreted as racially or ethnically degrading and negative." An administrative law judge initially ruled in favor of recalling the plate. In response, Abdennabi has now turned to federal court, arguing her case on First Amendment grounds.
Neither the DMV nor Abdennabi's attorney, Michael Millen, commented on the case to the San Francisco Chronicle. Millen told the outlet that he believes his client has a strong chance of success, citing similar past legal challenges. The controversial plates reportedly remain on Abdennabi's vehicle.
Abdennabi, who works as an in-house corporate lawyer and founded a wellness brand, has publicly expressed pro-Palestine views in the past. Her name is listed on an open letter by Law For Palestine that calls for Israel to be unseated from the United Nations General Assembly.
The California DMV has a policy of refusing personalized license plate applications that could be offensive, misleading, or carry negative connotations toward specific groups. The department's manual states that it must refuse configurations that "may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency, or which would be misleading, based on" several criteria. The DMV has previously rejected thousands of custom plate applications for reasons including duplication, obscenity, sexual references, and policy violations.