STORY
The United States has imposed financial sanctions on Palestine Action and designated the UK based organisation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The US Treasury Department said the measure was taken under Executive Order 13224 and formed part of wider action against organisations which the Trump administration described as violent far left terrorist networks.
The designation requires any property or financial interests belonging to Palestine Action within US jurisdiction to be blocked and generally prevents American citizens and companies from conducting transactions with the group. The Treasury accused Palestine Action of supporting acts intended to damage military and commercial infrastructure, injure police officers and influence Government policy through intimidation or coercion. Palestine Action disputes the characterisation of its activities as terrorism and says its purpose is to disrupt companies associated with the Israeli defence industry.
The American measure follows the UK Government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025. That decision remains the subject of legal proceedings: the Court of Appeal upheld the ban in June 2026, but co-founder Huda Ammori has been given permission to take the case to the Supreme Court. She described the US action as a threat to freedom of speech and civil liberties, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his department would seek to cut financial support for organisations it considered responsible for political violence.