U.S. Sanctions Three Palestinian NGOs, Potentially Paving Way for Terror Designations
The Trump administration sanctioned Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, which have well-documented ties to Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the PFLP
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday that the United States has sanctioned three prominent Palestinian organizations under Executive Order 14203 for actively participating in the International Criminal Court (ICC) initiatives to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli officials.
The sanctions target Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), organizations that have extensive ties to U.S.-designated terrorist groups, raising questions about whether formal terror designations might be warranted as well.
The Trump administration's move comes as part of its broader opposition to the ICC's authority over U.S. allies, with Rubio emphasizing that "the United States and Israel are not party to the Rome Statute and are therefore not subject to the ICC's authority." The Secretary warned that the U.S. "will continue to respond with significant and tangible consequences" to protect American troops and allies from what he characterized as the ICC's overreach.
Documented Terror Connections Raise Stakes
The sanctions take on added significance given extensive documentation by NGO Monitor, a watchdog organization, detailing the three groups' alleged connections to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Hamas — both U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.
Al-Haq's PFLP Network
NGO Monitor's research reveals that Al-Haq has been accused of acting as a front for the PFLP since at least 2018, when Visa, Mastercard, and American Express stopped processing online donations to the organization due to its terrorist connections. In October 2021, Israel's Ministry of Defense formally designated Al-Haq as a terror organization, alleging it operates as part of a network supporting the PFLP.
The organization's General Director, Shawan Jabarin, has what NGO Monitor describes as "longstanding ties to the PFLP." Jabarin was convicted in 1985 for recruiting PFLP members and has been repeatedly denied travel permits by Israeli courts citing continued terrorist involvement. As recently as 2009, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed his travel appeal, citing "reliable evidence of his links to terrorist organizations."
In June, Al-Haq issued a statement mourning the death of Eyad Abu Rahma, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Eyad, the brother of Al-Haq field researcher Mohammad Abu Rahma, was posthumously honored as a "martyr" by the organization. However, Jewish Onliner previously revealed that Eyad was actually a senior Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) terrorist leader, not a civilian as the organization claimed.
Al Mezan's Hamas Connections
Al Mezan Center presents an even more complex web of terrorist affiliations. The organization's board member Nafiz Al-Madhoun serves as Director-General of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Legislative Council and has been referred to as the “Secretary of the Hamas bloc in Gaza.”
The organization has hosted conferences featuring representatives from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the PFLP. In 2015, Al Mezan organized an ICC conference with speakers including senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya and PIJ Political Bureau member Khaled Al-Batsh. Al Mezan Director Issam Younis has participated in panel discussions alongside former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
PCHR's Terrorist Leadership
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights operates under founder and director Raji Sourani, who served three years in Israeli prison (1979-1982) for PFLP membership. In a telling 2014 ceremony organized by the PFLP, Sourani stated: "I was in the ranks of the Popular Front... We don't apologize and don't regret our past, we are proud that once we were members of this organization and we fought in its ranks."
Sourani also has ties with Hamas leadership, including meetings with Hamas Political Bureau officials Musa Abu Marzouk and Khaled Mashal in 2011 to discuss forming a "national unity government" in Gaza. In 2014, Sourani led a "human rights delegation" meeting with former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
In May 2023, as PIJ bombarded Israel with rockets, PCHR published a statement affirming "the right of the Palestinian people to resist the occupation by all available means, including armed struggle." The text was later amended after the organization faced international pressure.
What Comes Next?
The current sanctions freeze any U.S. assets belonging to the organizations and bar American individuals and entities from conducting transactions with them. The measures also serve as a warning to other organizations cooperating with ICC investigations of U.S. allies.
Whether the administration will pursue formal terrorism designations remains unclear, but the extensive documentation of terrorist ties provides a potential legal foundation for such action. The move reflects ongoing U.S. concerns about the exploitation of civil society organizations by designated terrorist groups