US designates Palestine Action activist group 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist'

The Trump administration has designated the UK activist group Palestine Action a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), as part of its efforts to go after what it described as "violent far-left terror networks". Wednesday's decision comes a year after the United Kingdom banned the group for damaging materials at weapons factories run by Elbit Systems. Elbit is a key provider of weapons to the Israeli military, which has for nearly three years carried out what the United Nations and Holocaust scholars have called a genocide in the Gaza Strip. Palestine Action is now sanctioned in the US "for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods and services to or in support of, an act of terrorism", the Department of the Treasury said in a statement. "The group’s actions include multiple high-profile instances of breaking into defense infrastructure and British military installations, and causing millions of dollars’ worth of damage to military equipment. Palestine Action has promoted its violent, criminal, and terrorist acts on social media, encouraging the use of similar tactics internationally, including within the United States and along the U.S.-Mexican border," it added. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Targets The SDGT list was first established just days after the 11 September 2001 attacks, when President George W Bush signed Executive Order 13224. Its first target was the then-largest Muslim charity in the US, the Holy Land Foundation. Five Palestinian-American men were tried twice and sentenced to decades in prison on charges of providing funds to "Hamas-run groups", though no evidence was ever provided in court to demonstrate a link to violent activities. "The United States does not sanction persons for engaging in political speech or other constitutionally protected activities," the Treasury's statement on Wednesday said. "As outlined in E.O. 13224 of September 23, 2001, however, 'violent acts and acts dangerous to human life, property, or infrastructure, that appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion' are defined as terrorism." In addition to Palestine Action, the Trump administration also announced sanctions on Masar Badil, a movement that advocates for an "alternative revolutionary path" for Palestinian rights and freedoms, after decades of failed attempts at negotiations. "Masar Badil is inextricably linked with Samidoun, and described by one of its senior leaders as part of the same political project. The organizations share fundraising mechanisms as well as senior leaders and members," the Treasury said. Samidoun was sanctioned by the US and Canada in 2024. It has denied all terror links. Background Palestine Action was founded in 2020 after activists broke into and spray painted the London headquarters of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms firm. Its network of activists have subsequently used tactics, including direct action, to target what it says are the “corporate enablers of the Israeli military-industrial complex". Actions have included breaking into offices and factories to spray-paint or damage equipment they say is used to commit war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. Elbit is the group's primary target, prompting multiple companies to sever ties with the defence contractor, and costing the company “billions” in lost contracts and divestments, according to Palestine Action. Barclays, which owned 16,000 shares in Elbit Systems, divested from the contractors in October, while the UK’s Ministry of Defence cancelled £280m worth of contracts with the company. In July 2025, Palestine Action became proscribed under Section 3 of the UK's Terrorism Act 2000. That made it a criminal offence to be a member of the group "or to invite or recklessly express support for them". Since then, hundreds of protesters including elderly and disabled activists have been arrested by British police simply for holding signs that say "I support Palestine Action". Critics have slammed the arrests as political theatre and a waste of policing resources. Social media videos of the arrests have gone viral. The Palestine Action members who broke into Elbit Systems have described severe PTSD from being in the custody of counter-terrorism police. Hannah Davidson, 53, along with her co-defendants Ian Sanders, 47; Aleksandra Herbich, 41; Teuta Hoxha, 30; Sean Middlebrough, 33; Julia Brigadirova, 33; and Madeleine Norman, 31, face charges of violent disorder and criminal damage in connection with a break-in to an Elbit Systems plant in Filton, near Bristol, in August 2024. Last month, William Plastow, 35, was acquitted of violent disorder by the presiding judge, Patrick Field, who concluded the prosecution had not produced enough evidence against him. He continues to face criminal damage charges. The eight defendants are accused of coordinating the break-in by carrying out reconnaissance and purchasing equipment, but are not alleged to have gone into the factory premises during the raid. Last week, following an eight-week trial and around 37 hours of deliberations at the Old Bailey, jurors could not reach verdicts for seven of the defendants. They could now face a retrial.