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Policy paper by Darryl Li identifies the root of anti-terrorism laws in decades-old anti-Palestinian agendas pushed by Israel lobby groups as a means of creating an association between terrorism and Palestinians. A consequence of this entrenched association has been the accusation lodged at activists that all support for Palestinian liberation equals support for terrorism, and that Israel lobby groups are using this dynamic to push for more criminalization of Palestine solidarity activism and protest. This report explains the history of the conflation of support for Palestinian liberation with terrorism and how the Israel lobby pushed to criminalize Palestinians and Palestine solidarity in the realms of immigration law, civil litigation, criminal law, and financial sanctions. Report concludes with policy recommendations for lawmakers to protect constitutional rights. This source is valuable for research on US anti-terrorism laws, Palestinian resistance movements, anti-Palestinian narratives, the Israel lobby, and freedom of expression.
