President Donald J. Trump intends to declare Palestine Action a global terrorist group, U.S. officials have announced, accusing the group of enacting and promoting terrorism.
The move follows the imprisonment in Britain of four Palestine Action activists who were found guilty of causing an estimated £1.2 million ($1.6 million) in property damage at the site of an Israeli defense company. The U.S.-based iteration of the group, officially known as Unity of Fields and previously called Palestine Action U.S., has targeted firms linked to Israel through disruptions and vandalism. It has also engaged in violent demonstrations against the U.S. government.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated: “The very idea that far-left terrorism could be a serious threat is treated as a right-wing fever dream, or worse, as a dangerous fascist conspiracy.”
According to a U.S. official speaking to British media, UK-based Palestine Action has supported numerous acts of terrorism since July 2020. These activities have included incidents causing physical injuries to law enforcement personnel and efforts to intimidate legitimate commercial enterprises while coercing the British government. The group has promoted its violent tactics internationally on social media, encouraging similar actions within the United States and along the U.S.-Mexican border.
If President Trump proceeds with the designation, it would impose lifetime bans on the group’s founders and supporters from entering the United States, freeze their assets including bank accounts and properties, and prohibit American citizens from engaging with Palestine Action through donations, goods, or services. The move reflects a similar ban imposed by Britain last year.
