US Sanctions Uk-based Palestine Action Group, Names It 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist'

The United States on Wednesday named the UK-based Palestine Action group, which has been banned by the British government, as a 'specially designated global terrorist' organisation. The US also issued sanctions against the group, claiming the move was for supporting 'an act of terrorism'. Set up in 2020, Palestine Action is appealing against the UK government ban, which has led to thousands of arrests.

Rights groups have decried the ban, saying it was aimed at criminalising dissent. Palestine Action had increasingly targeted Israel-linked defence companies in Britain, especially Israel's largest defence firm Elbit Systems. Responding to the US move on Wednesday, Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, said the group's activities 'have always been about saving lives by disrupting the Israeli war machine'. 'The fact that Trump is now taking inspiration from Britain's repression of the movement for Palestinian freedom exposes just how dangerous this ban is and should be a wake-up call to anyone who cares about free speech and civil liberties, Ammori said in a statement.