The Biden administration recently designated the Palestinian non-governmental organization Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network as an “international fundraiser” for the terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). This decision followed a report by Fox News Digital calling for the U.S. to outlaw the group. The U.S. Treasury Department, in collaboration with Canada, confirmed that Samidoun was a sham charity used by the PFLP for fundraising in Europe and North America. The PFLP was designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997, and both Samidoun and a PFLP leader named Khaled Barakat were identified as instrumental in external fundraising for the group.
Samidoun operates in various countries, including the United States, Iran, and several European nations, and was outlawed by Germany in November. Israel also classified the organization as a terrorist entity in 2021. The Treasury Department emphasized that charities like Samidoun may claim to provide humanitarian aid but often divert funds to support terrorist organizations. Bradley T. Smith, acting under secretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, stated that the U.S. and its partners would continue to disrupt efforts to finance terrorist groups like the PFLP and Hamas.
Canada followed the U.S. in taking action against Samidoun, with Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc reaffirming a commitment to collaborating with allies to counter terrorist organizations and their fundraisers. The joint action by the U.S. and Canada sends a strong message that such activities will not be tolerated, and measures will be put in place to address terrorist financing. Canada, like the U.S., has faced criticism for not doing enough to combat rising levels of antisemitism, particularly following violent incidents like the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s decision to sanction Samidoun is part of a broader effort to counter terrorism and prevent organizations from raising funds under the guise of charitable activities. Samidoun responded defiantly to being listed as a terrorist group, citing their support for the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and the right to Palestinian resistance. The organization vowed to continue fighting against imperialism and for the liberation of Palestine. However, the slogan “from the river to the sea” used by Samidoun is seen as a call to eliminate Israel and establish a Palestinian state, which has been condemned as antisemitic by the U.S. House of Representatives in April.
The House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the slogan “from the river to the sea” as antisemitic, highlighting the genocidal implications of calls to eliminate Israel and replace it with a Palestinian state. The outlawing of Samidoun by the U.S. and Canada is part of a broader effort to crack down on terrorist financing and prevent organizations from using charitable work as a front to support extremist groups. The move comes in response to increased antisemitic incidents and concerns about terrorism following events like the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. Both the U.S. and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to working together to counter terrorist organizations and their supporters.
