Activities

• According to its website, Al-Awda asserts “that the Palestinian Arab people, regardless of their religious affiliation, are indigenous to Palestine. Therefore, they are entitled to live anywhere in Palestine which encompasses present-day ‘Israel.’” 
• Activities focus on actualizing a Palestinian “right of return,” which, if implemented, would effectively mean the elimination of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.
• In May 2025, Pal-Awda, the NY/NJ branch of Al-Awda, held a “Nakba 77 Protest” calling to “dismantle the genocidal Zionist entity.” Protesters chanted slogans including “No Fascist USA!” and “With our souls and our blood, we will redeem you, oh Palestine!” When a local resident confronted the group and asked whether they were affiliated with Hamas, a protester replied: “I am Hamas […] You’re looking Hamas in the eyes.”
• In May 2025, Al-Awda published a statement that the “Palestinian resistance in all its forms is a legitimate expression of the right of a colonized people to struggle for freedom…There can be no justice without the dismantling of the Zionist settler-colonial regime and the creation of a liberated Palestine on our entire homeland, with Jerusalem as its capital.”
• In April 2025, Al-Awda referred to Walid Daqqah as a “writer, thinker and freedom fighter.” Daqqah, a member of the PFLP, was sentenced in 1987 to life in prison for the kidnapping and murder of Israeli soldier Moshe Tamam.
• In February 2025, Pal-Awda organized an antisemitic riot in the Boro Park neighborhood in New York, encouraging participants to “Flood Boro Park” – a reference to Hamas’ name for the October 7th massacre (the “Al-Aqsa Flood”).
• In January 2025, Al-Awda published a statement, “It is their incredible courage and resistance in confronting the tanks, bombs and murderous warplanes of the zionist entity that has brought its military goals to nothing but defeat before the Palestinian people in Gaza…It has failed to destroy the resistance, which has grown stronger despite the devastation…Of course, the genocide did not begin on October 7, 2023, but over 76 years ago and indeed over 100 years ago, with the inception of British colonialism in Palestine…The unbreakable resistance of the Palestinian people has shattered the war machine of the genocidal occupier, and demoralized its colonial hordes. We know that the battle is not over; Zionism is a genocidal project and has been from the beginning; and yet we are moving toward the end of the Zionist project, due to the heroism and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Gaza, in the face of an unimaginably horrific genocide.”
• In July 2024, Al-Awda co-organized a protest at the U.S. Capitol, demanding the “Arrest for Benjamin Netanyahu for crimes against humanity…In Washington DC, we will surround the Capitol building while the U.S. war criminals cheer on (and fund!) Israel’s genocidal campaign and welcome Netanyahu inside.”
• In June 2024, Al-Awda was a signatory to a petition condemning the “U.S.- British aggression and attacks on the struggling people of Yemen.” The NGO declared its solidarity with the Yemeni people in “the historic battle that they are waging to end the genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, to stop Zionist war crimes and to break the siege.”
• In May 2024, Al-Awda participated in the People’s Conference for Palestine. The conference featured speakers affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, terrorist organizations designated as such by the US, EU, Canada, and Israel. 
• In May 2024, in response to student protests across US campuses, Al-Awda posted on Facebook: “So proud of our brave students! History will show that they were the bright light who rescued America from its disgraceful complicity in Gaza’s holocaust!”
• In May 2024, Al-Awda published a joint statement calling for the “complete liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea” and endorsing the “right to resist by any means necessary.”
• In April 2024, following Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel, Al-Awda was a signatory on a statement titled, “No war on Iran, stand with resistance.” The statement “firmly support[ed] Iran’s right to defend itself against Zionist aggression.”
• In January 2024, Al-Awda hosted a webinar titled “Defending al-Naqab: Hear from Palestinians confronting JNF terror and Zionist colonialism to #SaveAlNaqab.” The speakers discussed “JNF’s colonial policies and the ongoing Nakba throughout Palestine — as well as the ongoing resistance.” 
• In October 2023, in the aftermath of the brutal Hamas attack on October 7, Al-Awda released a statement emphasizing its “unwavering support of the Palestinian resistance,” urging the Palestinian people “to mobilize in the face of colonial genocide.” Al-Awda asserted that “This ongoing struggle…is a powerful response to decades of unspeakable atrocities, relentless oppression, and the suffocating blockade that has imprisoned the Gaza Strip and refused its population – mostly Palestinian refugees – their right to return.” Furthermore, it emphasizes that “The Palestinian resistance, through their brave actions, are forging a path to bring the ongoing Nakba to an end.”
• In May 2023, Al-Awda invited people to a “live storytelling of Ghassan Kanafani’s ‘Men in the Sun’ and Other Works.” Kanafani was a spokesperson for the PFLP.
• In May 2023, Al-Awda issued a statement “salut[ing] and mourn[ing] the martyr Khader Adnan, a Palestinian prisoner who died in Israeli occupation prisons after over 86 days on hunger strike demanding his freedom. His death was not an accident but a deliberate decision of the occupation forces to deny him access to a civilian hospital, and therefore an assassination carried out by the Israeli occupation.” The statement ignored that Adnan was a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member arrested in February 2023 and was indicted for membership in a terror group, supporting a terrorist organization, and incitement.
• In May 2023, Al-Awda organized a protest demanding “75 years too long! 75 years of occupation, of apartheid, of settler colonialism, of massacres, of ethnic cleansing.”
• In January 2023, Al-Awda condemned the “massacre committed in the Jenin refugee camp” that killed “nine martyrs” as part of the “intensification of violence by the new, ultra-fascist Zionist regime.” The statement also “honor[ed] the resistance fighters in Jenin.”
  • On January 26, 2023, the IDF conducted a preemptive counterterror operation in Jenin, during which nine Palestinians – eight of whom were armed members of Islamic Jihad and other organizations – were killed.
• In September 2016, Al-Awda celebrated the death of Shimon Peres, stating, “We will make sure to honor him with a public toilet in a Free Palestine! To hell with the war criminal!”

BDS Activities

• According to Al-Awda’s website, it has “Actively participated in boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) actions, and will continue to do so until Palestinian rights are restored in full.” Al-Awda also claims it is “united in working for and demanding:
  • An end to all US political, military and economic aid to Israel
  • The divestment of all public and private entities from all Israeli corporations and American corporations with subsidiaries operating within Israel
  • An end to the investment of Labor Union members’ pension funds in Israel
  • The boycott of all Israeli products.”
• In February 2025, Al-Awda called to “Impose a complete boycott on the Zionist regime, including economic, academic, and cultural boycott, as well as expulsion from the United Nations,to hold the Zionist entity  accountable for its ongoing violations of Palestinian rights.”
• In October 2024, Al-Awda co-organised the “One Year of Genocide One Year of Resistance” march to demand an arms embargo, sanctions against Israel, and an “end to the Western-backed Zionist genocide of the Palestinian people.”
• In April 2024, Al-Awda joined Strike4Gaza “demanding an END to this U.S.-funded genocide of the Palestinian people!” 
• Signatory to the 2005 “Palestinian Civil Society Call for BDS,” which calls for an end to Israel’s “occupation and colonization of all Arab lands” and promotes the right of “Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties.” These goals undermine the fundamental right of the Jewish people to self-determination and would effectually mean the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state.

Staff

• Abbas Hamideh
  • In July 2025, in response to a video of Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son was kidnapped and murdered by Hamas, Hamideh tweeted, “She’s a war criminal for raising her children on stolen Palestinian land. They could have been living happy in Europe or Toronto somewhere…”
  • In November 2024, following the violent antisemitic pogrom in Amsterdam against Israeli soccer fans, Al-Awda co-founder Abbas Hamideh tweeted, “The Netherlands is getting a little taste of what Palestinians go through when Criminal Zionists attack them on their land and then play the victim card.”
  • In October 2024, Hamideh tweeted, “When you’re getting your ass kicked by Hezbollah and Hamas, you resort to being proud of dropping bombs on civilian neighborhoods with American tax payer money. Zero advances in Lebanon minus committing genocide on children. You’re definitely getting cooked by the Resistance.”
  • In October 2024, Hamideh tweeted, “Criminal Zionists trying to change up the legacy of Yahya Sinwar after releasing that fierce drone footage depicting him as a heroic Palestinian Resistance fighter. The footage shattered all their lies and now they’re desperately trying to reverse it. Too late.”
  • In October 2024, Hamideh referred to Israelis as “Modern Day Nazis.”
  • In September 2024, Hamideh tweeted, “Palestinians at Al-Aqsa honor and mourn El Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who stood with Palestinians his entire noble life! A man of honor, courage, and fierce bravery until his assassination! We honor and celebrate the martyr of martyrs and the most honorable human being of our time!”
  • In October 2023, Hamideh tweeted, “Reminder: Hamas not Khamas, is a Palestinian Resistance Movement that was born after 40 years of illegal and brutal Zionist Occupation of Palestinian ancestral homes and lands. The western media calls them “terrorists” because they are fighting back. That’s it!”
  • In October 2023, Hamideh tweeted, “Woke up to the best and most amazing news any Palestinian on earth could have ever received. There’s nothing more pleasurable than seeing the oppressed rise and crush tyranny! Rest assured this is only the begining (sic)! Victory to the RESISTANCE! Free Palestine!!!”
  • In November 2016, Hamideh claimed, “israel does not have a right to exist.”
• Amani Al-Hindi Barakat 
  • Barakat is listed as the Al-Awda “Chair of the National Board.” 
  • In October 2024, Barakat posted on Facebook “Launch 🚀🚀🚀 Oh Lord, guide and grant victory to our resistance” (translated from Arabic).
  • On September 29, 2024, Barakat shared a video of the “daughter of the Martyr Sayyed Nasrallah” (head of Hezbollah) who “left behind a people, a steadfast people, a mighty people, a people who know how to take revenge.”  
  • On August 28, 2024, Barakat posted on Facebook, “If there’s a time for the corrupt PA to wake up and seek redemption it’s now!#Intifada.”
  • On August 6, 2024, following Nasrallah’s death, Barakat posted on Facebook, “In these dark times, I am profoundly moved and deeply grateful to witness the leadership of #Nasrallah who epitomizes honesty, strength sincerity, resilience, principles, wisdom, and sagacity. He truly serves as a beacon of hope amidst the shadows cast by our corrupt Arab leaders who have betrayed us, with the exception of our steadfast Axis of Resistance. May Allah reveal the hypocrites and traitors, and grant victory to our resistance!”
  • On October 7, 2023, Barakat shared a video of an interview of Hamas previous leader, Ismael Haniyeh. That same day, she posted, “This is a fight for freedom; make no mistake! #FreePalestine.” She later added, “When people are occupied, resistance is justified 🇵🇸 #longlivetheresistance #freepalestine.”
• Charlotte Kates
  • Al-Awda lists Charlotte Kates – International Coordinator at Samidoun – as a member of its National Board  (as of October 29, 2024).
  • In February 2025, Kates attended the funeral of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.
  • In June 2024, YouTube shut down the accounts of Samidoun and Charlotte Kates for “severe or repeated violations of our violent criminal organizations policy” (emphasis in original). 
  • In August 2024, Kates traveled to Iran to accept the “Eighth Annual Islamic Human Rights And Human Dignity Award,” as one of six recipients, alongside the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Ziyad Nakhaleh. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran in late July 2024, was also honored at the event.
  • In May 2024, Kates was arrested as part of a Vancouver hate-crime investigation after she praised the Oct. 7 attack as “heroic and brave” and called for the removal of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and several other groups from the list of terrorist organizations. Kates’ hearing was meant to take place on October 8, 2024, however the hearing has been delayed.
  • At a March 2024 event, Kates stated, “There is nothing wrong with being a member of Hamas, being a leader of Hamas, being a fighter in Hamas.”
  • In 2012, Kates was a member of a Canadian delegation that met with PFLP officials.
• In an April 2022 speech, Lamis Deek – identified by Al-Awda as its “New York Representative” – stated: “We declare unequivocally that all Palestinians are freedom fighters. That those who fight for justice and the other like Hamas, like Jabhat, like Islamic Jihad, like Iranian Al-Quds Forces, like the PFLP [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine], are all freedom fighters who fight not just for the defense and liberation of Palestine, they fight for the safety and the protection of all people to whom Israel, is apartheid is a global threat.”
• Mazin Qumseyeh is the co-founder of the Al Awda Palestine Right to Return Coalition and member of the steering committee of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. Qumseyeh engaged in Holocaust-denial when he wrote, “in ‘democratic’ Europe there are countries were you can examine and challenge any historical event except the Zionist version of WWII history” (emphasis added). Qumseyeh has also written about how “the Zionist controlled media does not dare publish reality: what is happening on the ground to people.  The popular resistance is all but ignored by the self delusional right wing Zionists and their managed media outlets” (emphasis added).