Terror-Supporting Palestinian Youth Movement to Host Event at UT Dallas
PYM’s growing anti-American and pro-terror incitement should have no place at publicly funded institutions
On January 25, 2025, the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), a self-described “transnational, independent, grassroots movement of young Palestinians", will host an event titled "How to Build Self-Reliant Communities" at the University of Texas, Dallas (UTD)—a publicly funded institution. The event is being marketed as a “joint struggle panel” and is being organized by the PYM, the local SJP chapter - Students for Justice in Palestine UTD, Black Alliance for Peace – Dallas (BAP), and the Native American Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and ICE Out of Tarrant.
PYM has consistently justified and endorsed acts of terrorism, and since October 7th, has hosted members of US-designated terror groups at its events and promoted anti-Americanism, describing the United States as the “engine of global imperialism.”
The group’s rhetoric and actions require the attention of the Trump administration, particularly in light of PYM’s potential foreign ties, as well as President Trump’s new executive order that emphasizes the need to ensure that visa holders in the US do not pose threats to Americans, hold hostile attitudes toward U.S. values, or support terrorism or national security risks.
Endorsement of Violence & Terrorism
In May 2024, PYM hosted the People’s Conference for Palestine, which featured endorsements from PFLP leaders who called for the destruction of Israel. That same conference featured an address from the PFLP’s Wisam Rafeedie—who has spoken at other PYM events in the past.
PYM has consistently justified acts of terrorism, celebrated individuals involved in violence against civilians, and endorsed organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)—all of which are designated as terrorist groups by the United States. This includes praising figures such as Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader behind the Oct 7th attacks, and Khalida Jarrar, a PFLP member imprisoned for terror-related activities. PYM’s rhetoric often elevates such individuals as heroes of the Palestinian cause, normalizing violence as a necessary and honorable means of achieving “liberation.”
In the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas-led massacre, PYM called the attacks a “historic, unprecedented moment” and celebrated them as a form of “resistance.”
The group has celebrated violent uprisings, such as the Second Intifada, framing suicide bombings and shootings as “powerful” acts of collective resistance. During its rallies, PYM speakers frequently glorify armed militants and terrorist leaders. For example, in May 2024, during a major conference in Michigan, PYM leader Mohammed Nabulsi explicitly honored Hamas terrorists who used underground tunnels to attack and capture Israeli soldiers, referring to them as the “noble, steadfast resistance.”
Collaboration with Terror-Affiliated Organizations
The group’s collaboration with terror-affiliated organizations further highlights its extremist agenda. PYM has worked closely with Samidoun, designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., Canada, Germany, Dutch parliament, and Israel for its ties to the PFLP.
A notable example includes PYM and Samidoun’s collaboration on a campaign calling for the release of Ahmad Sa’adat, a PFLP terrorist imprisoned by Israel for masterminding the 2001 assassination of then-Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi.
PYM’s Broader Influence and Funding
Beyond its public rallies and conferences, PYM engages in activities designed to indoctrinate youth and expand its influence outside of the U.S. Its annual summer schools provide workshops on activism, Palestinian identity, and resistance, often focusing on the need for armed struggle.
Despite not being a registered 501(c)(3) organization, PYM secures funding through the fiscal sponsorship of the WESPAC Foundation. In 2018, PYM was awarded a grant from "The UC Critical Refugee Studies Collective," a program funded by the University of California Office of the President Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives.
History of Cancelled PYM Events
There is a precedent for PYM events being canceled for glorifying terrorism. In 2019, a Toronto church canceled PYM’s event titled, The Ghassan Kanafani Resistance Arts Scholarship launch party. Kanafani was a PFLP member who participated in the Lod Airport Massacre in Israel in 1972 that killed 26 civilians, including 17 Americans.
In 2023, the Dallas Public Library canceled a ‘Nakba’ event organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), citing concerns that the event’s pro-terror narrative was inconsistent with the library’s mission of fostering community connectedness and equality—though it likely also has to do with Texas’ robust legislation against the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS).
The upcoming event at UTD exemplifies PYM’s strategy of infiltrating public institutions to normalize its extremist agenda. Public universities, funded by taxpayers, must carefully consider the implications of hosting groups with such records. Providing a platform for PYM risks legitimizing its dangerous ideology and undermining efforts to safeguard public safety.
Representatives of UT Dallas did not respond to request for comment by press time.