US adds UK‑based Palestine Action to terrorist list

Palestine Action, a pro‑Palestinian campaign founded in 2020, has been designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States. The move, announced on Wednesday by the State Department, also includes Italy‑based Autistici/Inventati and the group Masar Badil. The designation follows a UK ban that has already led to thousands of arrests.

Why the designation matters

The label carries legal and financial consequences, allowing US authorities to freeze assets and prosecute supporters. It arrives amid heightened tensions after Israel’s October 7 attack and the subsequent Gaza conflict, which has drawn global protests and activist actions aimed at disrupting what the group calls Israel’s "genocidal and apartheid regime".

State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggot described all three as “violent far‑left terrorist groups”. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, called Autistici/Inventati “a major far‑left tech collective whose services are used by the most active and violent Antifa cells”. Treasury chief Scott Bessent warned that economic levers would be used to cut the groups’ financial lifelines.

"Palestine Action's activities in the US and elsewhere have always been about saving lives by disrupting the Israeli war machine, which is committing a genocide in Gaza with the support of the US Government," said co‑founder Huda Ammori.

The Israeli foreign ministry welcomed the decision, arguing that such organisations exploit Western civil society to mask violent operations. Human‑rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the designations as attacks on free speech.

What comes next

Legal challenges are already underway in the UK to overturn the ban, and US‑based supporters could face prosecution or asset freezes. The move may prompt other allied governments to consider similar listings, potentially reshaping the landscape for activist funding and cross‑border coordination.

Observers note that the designations align with President Donald Trump’s second‑term agenda to label “far‑left” groups as security threats, a policy shift that could have lasting implications for civil liberties worldwide.