US Designates Palestine Action as Terrorist Organization, Imposes Financial Sanctions

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has designated Palestine Action, a UK-based organization, as a terrorist group and imposed economic sanctions against it.

According to the Treasury Department, Palestine Action has supported “numerous acts of terrorism” since July 2020, including attacks that injured UK law enforcement and targeted commercial enterprises to intimidate and coerce governmental authorities.

The UK government banned Palestine Action in 2025 under anti-terrorism legislation, making support for the group illegal within its borders.

Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the group, criticized the U.S. designation on social media, stating: “As a Palestinian and Iraqi, the fact that the country which destroyed both my homelands is calling me a terrorist is beyond hypocritical.”

In a statement to the BBC, Ammori emphasized that the group’s activities aimed to “save lives” and argued the ban raises critical concerns for free speech and democratic principles.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the designation as part of broader efforts targeting “far-left extremists” and their supporters, declaring: “Political terrorism has no place in our society, and we will continue to cut the financial lifelines of these groups until they are eliminated.”

The sanctions include freezing all assets linked to Palestine Action within U.S. jurisdiction or controlled by U.S. citizens, part of a wider Trump-era crackdown on global far-left organizations labeled as terrorist entities.

Palestine Action, known for direct-action protests targeting Israeli-linked arms suppliers in the UK, is contesting its ban through the legal system. Following a Court of Appeal ruling endorsing the government’s “justified and proportionate” interference with free expression, the group has secured permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Over 2,000 individuals face potential prosecution for allegedly supporting the group during demonstrations opposing its ban. Separately, four members were jailed in June for a 2023 break-in at a defense contractor, causing over £1 million in damages and resulting in a conviction for grievous bodily harm after assaulting a police officer with a sledgehammer.

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