US Senate accused of McCarthyism for crackdown on Palestinian rights activists

Palestine Legal, a US based advocacy group, has condemned the US Senate for what it calls a “McCarthyite witch-hunt” against students and academics who defend Palestinian rights.

The hearings, held by the Senate Judiciary Committee under the guise of “Stemming the Tide of Antisemitism in America,” are being criticised as a blatant attempt to silence dissent.

In a statement, Palestine Legal warned that the hearings align with the Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther, a right-wing blueprint aimed at dismantling progressive movements, starting with advocacy for Palestinian rights.

The group urged universities to reject Trump’s push to criminalise pro-Palestinian activism and to resist the growing repression of students speaking out against Israeli policies.