Condemn the Designation of Righteous Organizations: No Criminalization Can Stop the Struggle

Tariq El-Tahrir condemns the recent designation of the Masar Badil, Rawa Al Sagheer, Zaid Abdul Nasser, Palestine Action and Autistici/Inventati by the US Trump regime.

These designations have come after the sanctioning of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network,Addameer: Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association and even many individuals associated with the ICC case charging the zionist regime with genocide. These designations seek to fracture the Palestine movement and criminalize support for Palestine and the resistance at a global scale. Starting during the Biden administration and continuing through Trump’s second term, sanctions and designations have been a new tactic to strike the Palestine movement, and stop the international consolidation of the liberation project under one political banner. This is a continuation of the use of the Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) lists themselves, and the attempt to liquidate and isolate Palestinian resistance on the global stage.

The strength of movements such as Masar Badil and Palestine Action is that they are  Palestinian internationalist formations, they undermine zionism and globalize the intifada wherever they are in the field of confrontation. They are inspiring, emerging partners of the Palestinian and regional resistance forces and contribute to building a global camp of resistance that we are all called to join. We are proud to call Masar Badil and Palestine Action our comrades.

Whatever the name given to this movement, its principles are impossible to defeat through criminalization. They are the same principles enshrined in the Palestinian National Charter, criminalized by the zionist regime, and in the over 100 year long Palestinian national liberation movement itself criminalized at first by the British Empire and then by the US-led imperialist camp. Its slogans remain constant: liberate Palestine from the river to the sea, it is resistance, and escalating resistance, that will liberate Palestine, the enemy camp is not only the “israeli” regime but also US imperialism and all of its fascist lackies, partners and co-conspirators. No designation can make us abandon these positions won through the struggle and sacrifice of the Palestinian people.

Tariq El-Tahrir is part of and seeks to build the strength of the camp of global humanity, the camp of return and liberation. This defiant camp has at its core the righteous Palestinian liberation organizations designated since the start of the Madrid-Oslo liquidation process. Just as the banning of campus organizations did not stop the student movement, the designations and terror-lists will not stop our collective movement. It is a blessing of the great Flood of October 7th that the leadership and principles of our movement are clear. These blessings brought by the martyrs of Gaza must be actively defended, above all by the defiant youth and students of our movement whose bold positions on resistance and liberation have electrified the world. Around the world youth and students, Palestinian, Arab and internationalist, will continue on the path of participation in Palestinian resistance. 

We call particular attention to the financial war on Palestine which is demonstrated through these  OFAC sanctions. The Western colonial powers control the financial systems of the world and uses this effective weapon against Palestine. The EU imposes conditions on its funding for NGOS, preventing dignified support to all Palestinians regardless of political affiliation. The US attacks UNRWA funding and steals UNRWA properties in order to attack the basic rights of Palestinian refugees to their nationality and national cause. The brutal genocide in Gaza has particularly exposed this financial war, which bans Palestinians from using most online money transfer services, attempts to create a cashless economy in Gaza to be surveilled under the US security envelope, and bombs banking institutions as part of the israeli policy to destroy anything that supports life.

The financial war extends outside of Palestine as well. The US targets and the imprisons charitable leaders like the Holy Land Foundation 5, of whom Ghassan Elashi and Shukri Abu Baker remain in prison in the US, and Fergie Chambers who is detained in Spain. It imposes genocidal sanctions on sovereign countries for defying US-led imperialism’s dictates. This includes the over 47 year long sanctions regime on Iran, specifically for its support for the regional and Palestinian resistance. Additionally, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are banned from over 70 career paths and the refugee camps are systemically impoverished, attempting to squash the spirit of the people in exile and their physical ability to participate in their own liberation struggle. 

The purpose of these sanctions is to change the character and path of the Palestinian liberation movement in a way that is compliant with US empire. We trust that this zionist pipe dream will never happen and our movement will remain firm in its principles, and we invite all organizations and individuals to loudly speak in support of those designated by the US and other imperialist regimes for their contributions to the liberation of Palestine.