Palestinian Activist Slams US Sanctions as Attempt to Silence Advocacy
Prominent Palestinian activist Majed al-Zeer, a dual British and Jordanian national, has vehemently denounced the US sanctions imposed on him, dismissing them as an attempt to stifle his work advocating for Palestinian rights, Al Jazeera reports.
Al-Zeer, who lives in the UK and Germany, was designated by the US Treasury on Monday as one of three individuals sanctioned for alleged ties to Hamas, which the US considers a “terrorist” organization. The Treasury accused him of being a “senior Hamas representative” involved in fundraising for the group in Europe.
Al-Zeer, the chairman of the European-Palestinian Council for Political Relations, vehemently refuted these allegations. He insisted that he never engaged in any financial activities during his years of activism in Europe, including his time as president of the Palestinian Return Centre, a UK-based advocacy group.
He argued that the sanctions were simply a tactic to silence Palestinian activists and prevent them from advocating for their people’s rights.
Al-Zeer pointed out that the sanctions cite a photograph of him with the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, taken during a delegation visit to Europe with several European representatives, including British Labour leader Sir Gerald Kaufman. He argues that the photograph’s use as evidence is misleading and highlights the lack of substantial evidence against him.
The US has been a staunch supporter of Israel since its founding in 1948, continuing its support despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has raised concerns about civilian casualties and human rights violations. The sanctions were announced on October 7, the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,139 people.
Israel’s subsequent response in Gaza has led to the deaths of nearly 42,000 Palestinians in the past year. The sanctions effectively freeze al-Zeer’s assets in the US and prevent US individuals from conducting business with him.
While the US has imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting Hamas’s financial support, it has also sanctioned Israeli settlers and groups supporting illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
