Israeli militias are not above the law, nor is any administration that enabled them Dear Email, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) welcomes the settlement put forth this week by New York Attorney General Letitia James, holding Betar US accountable for its pattern of violence, harassment, intimidation, and bias-motivated conduct against Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish New Yorkers, particularly during protests tied to the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. The agreement requiring Betar to cease these practices and wind down its New York operations represents a tangible step toward defending civil rights and public safety, and acknowledges harms that many activists and communities have long raised. The AG’s investigation found that Betar engaged in conduct more consistent with a militia than a civic nonprofit, including encouraging members to bring weapons to protests, posting inflammatory content celebrating violence, and repeatedly targeting individuals based on religion and national origin, all in violation of New York civil rights law. While this action is an important step in the right direction, and we thank Attorney General James for her leadership, it is not sufficient on its own. Independent reporting has documented that Betar US openly admitted to submitting names of pro-Palestinian students and faculty to the Trump administration, urging immigration enforcement and deportation. These admissions raise serious questions that fall beyond the scope of the New York inquiry and demand a federal investigation into whether and how Betar’s targeting, doxing, and intimidation of activists intersected with or were enabled by U.S. government agencies. The federal government must fully account for any role it played in allowing a private extremist group to weaponize immigration enforcement against protected political speech. Betar is a far-right, pro-Israel organization. The group, both in the U.S. and internationally, has publicly promoted violence, harassment, and intimidation against, particularly, Palestinians and pro-Palestine activists. Even organizations that firmly align themselves with Zionist centered advocacy have distanced themselves from Betar. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has explicitly condemned the organization. We reaffirm our support for the protection of free expression, the safety of protest movements, and the fundamental rights of all people, including Palestinian and pro-Palestinian advocates, to engage in peaceful political dissent without fear of intimidation, persecution, or state-aligned retaliation. In solidarity, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) |
