In an interview with NBC News earlier this month, a co-founder of the group known as Samidoun called Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel “a brave and heroic operation.”
A pro-Hamas organization that has helped organize protests on American college campuses is a “sham charity” that fundraises for a terrorist group, the Treasury Department said Tuesday.
In a joint action by the U.S. and Canadian governments, the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, or Samidoun, was sanctioned by the Treasury Department and listed as a terrorist entity by the government in Canada, where it is based.
NBC News interviewed the co-founder of the group earlier this month. Charlotte Kates, Samidoun’s international coordinator, said that the Vancouver-based organization advocates for the rights of Palestinians, particularly those locked up in Israeli prisons.
But the Treasury Department said on Tuesday that Samidoun serves as a front organization and fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the U.S. deemed a terror organization in 1997 and 2001.
On the one hand, that really sucks.
On the other hand, students didn’t and have never needed help in organizing when they feel strongly about something, so I question how important this group actually was.
That depends on how you define important. If its organization and funding. Then not very as you said. If its helping to foment chaos and division among outside groups you wish to destroy each other. And provide no actual solutions. Invaluable.
I agree the onus shouldn’t lay with the students. By the same token, they need to be aware that there are groups out there that would use them maliciously. Or in this case, through their illegitimacy detract from and weaken their message.
It was important in helping paint the student action as illegitimate and pro-Hamas. 😅