US issues sanctions against UK-based direct action group Palestine Action

US labels group ‘global terrorist’ as Palestine Action challenge against proscription in UK nears supreme court hearing

US issues sanctions against UK-based direct action group Palestine Action

TL;DR

  • The US has sanctioned Palestine Action, a UK-based direct action group, labeling it a 'transnational terror group'.
  • The US Treasury has frozen the group's assets, prohibiting US citizens and entities from doing business with them.
  • Palestine Action was previously proscribed under the UK’s Terrorism Act, a decision currently under legal challenge.
  • The US Treasury cited the group's support for acts of terrorism, including damage to property and injury to law enforcement.
  • Palestine Action stated its activities aim to disrupt the 'Israeli war machine' and criticized the US sanctions as repression of Palestinian freedom movements.
  • The group has targeted factories of the Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems in the UK and previously protested at Donald Trump's golf course in Scotland.