Militant Pro-Palestine Faction Vandalizes New York Sites

In recent weeks, the pro-Palestinian organization, Within Our Lifetime (WOL), has been making headlines for its disruptive activities across New York City. Founded by Nerdeen Kiswani in 2018, WOL has been a force to reckon with, despite its non-registered status as a nonprofit.

The group, which rebranded from the New York City chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, has been at the forefront of numerous protests, causing disruptions and clashes with law enforcement. One of their most notable actions was the "Day of Rage" protest last year, which resulted in vandalism of the 107th Infantry Memorial, burning of an American flag, clashes with police outside the Met Gala, and vandalism, damage to artwork, and arrests at the Brooklyn Museum.

More recently, WOL organized events such as "Flood Manhattan for Gaza" and "Christmas is Canceled" following the October 7, 2023, terror attacks against Israel. These protests led to arrests, vandalized NYPD cruisers, and street fights. The group has also targeted visiting Israeli government officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

WOL's activities suggest that it may continue to escalate, yet it has largely evaded scrutiny. Americans have little insight into its finances and operations due to its non-registered status. This lack of transparency raises concerns about the group's sources of funding and the nature of its operations.

The group's leader, Khaled Barakat, and Nerdeen Kiswani, the chairwoman of WOL despite multiple arrests, have been seen together at controversial events, such as the one held at Columbia University. Charlotte Kates, the founder of Samidoun, a designated front for the PFLP, was also a panelist at the same event. Masar Badil, an organization with ties to the PFLP, has called on its supporters to "take to the streets, besiege Zionist embassies, and turn every public square and city into a point of direct confrontation."

Activists affiliated with WOL have locked embassy gates and surrounded diplomatic missions in recent weeks. This disruptive behaviour has led to a lack of accountability, with diversion programs like Project Reset making summonses vanish.

Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg has dropped charges against Columbia University students and declined to prosecute numerous criminal summonses from pro-Palestine demonstrations across the city. This decision has been criticized for contributing to the lack of accountability for disruptive pro-Palestinian activists.

As WOL may soon have a friend in the mayor's office, with frontrunner Zohran Mamdani having previously participated in its protests, city leaders and law enforcement must draw a clear line between protected speech and lawless action. It is crucial to prosecute those who break the law while hiding behind the mantle of protest.