U.S.-Sanctioned PCPA Member Appeared With Hamas-Linked Activist at Amsterdam Event
Amsterdam venue listed U.S.-sanctioned PCPA figure Saif Abu Keshek as a speaker at a June 11 event attended by U.S.-designated Hamas-linked activist Amin Abou Rashed
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Pakhuis de Zwijger, a prominent Amsterdam venue, listed Saif Abu Keshek as a speaker at its June 11 program, “Solidarity in Sync: Navigating a Unified Strategy.” Less than a month earlier, the U.S. Treasury had sanctioned him as a leader or official of the U.S.-designated Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, also known as the PCPA, and identified him as a central figure on the flotilla’s Steering Committee.
Dutch journalist Carel Brendel pointed out that Amin Abou Rashed was present at the event alongside Abu Keshek. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Abou Rashed in June 2025, describing him as a “top Hamas operative in Europe” responsible for raising millions of dollars for Hamas through sham charities.
A Mainstream Venue, a Strategic Activist Forum
Pakhuis de Zwijger described the event as a “crucial convergence” designed to connect “politicians, legal minds, academics and grassroots organisers” into a coordinated strategy for the “global Palestine movement.”
The venue’s page said the evening would welcome home the “Sumudees,” the participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla, and would connect their “seafaring resistance” to political and legal advocacy.
In addition to Abu Keshek, other listed speakers included Gerard Jonkman, director at The Rights Forum; Diederick van den Ende of Greenpeace Netherlands; and musician Rana Hmeida.
Treasury’s Allegations Against Abu Keshek
The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on May 19 against four individuals it said were associated with what it called a “pro-Hamas flotilla” organized by the PCPA, which Washington had already designated. Treasury said Hamas relies on “a diverse web of international partners” to expand political influence and support its activity abroad.
In the same release, Treasury identified Saif Hashim Kamel Abukishek as a Spain-based member of the PCPA General Secretariat and “a central figure” in the flotilla, serving on its Steering Committee. The designation blocked property under U.S. jurisdiction and generally prohibited U.S. persons from transactions involving him.
The Abou Rashed Connection
Abou Rashed’s appearance alongside Abu Keshek added a controversial dimension to the event. OFAC sanctioned Amin Abu Rashed on June 10, 2025, identifying him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist linked to Hamas.
Treasury separately alleged that Amin Ghazi Abu Rashed was a “top Hamas operative in Europe” responsible for raising millions of dollars for Hamas through sham charities. The release focused on the Netherlands-based Israa Charitable Foundation Netherlands, which Treasury said was part of the Union of Good, a U.S.-designated umbrella organization accused of generating revenue for Hamas under humanitarian cover.
A Sanctions Gap in Plain Sight
The Amsterdam event underscores a practical limit of U.S. sanctions: designation by Washington does not automatically bar a person from attending public events in Europe. That leaves institutions and organizers to assess whether sanctioned figures were invited, registered, paid, reimbursed or otherwise supported through event-related services.