A 26-year-old man’s alleged assasination attempt against Palestinian-American activist Nerdeen Kiswani was foiled. But, she tells Prem, she is still facing threats as we speak.
Kiswani, co-founder of the organization Within Our Lifetime, has been active in Palestinian human rights advocacy for years and has been the target of increased harassment over the past two-and-a-half years during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It’s led to her suing Betar USA, one of several anti-speech organizations that have directed threats toward people in the United States – especially Palestinians – for speaking out against Israel’s genocide. The threats culminated in last week’s attempt to firebomb her home.
Though the plot was foiled, she tells Prem, “I actually feel more in danger than I ever have before.”
Her alleged would-be assailant, Alexander Heifler, was a member of an offshoot of the violent Jewish Defense League organization. His group boasted of working with Betar. Kiswani says groups like Betar have attached “bounties” to her, encouraging people to give her “beepers” (in reference to Israel’s terrorist attack on Lebanon in 2024, using pagers).
Kiswani says threats have continued since the attack. “Tons of Zionist organizations are saying ‘better luck next time,” she says. “It feels like they’re still getting support from lawmakers, government officials, emboldening people to really take the next step and finish the job without getting caught next time.”
Watch Kiswani talk about the plot against her and her family, how she felt about New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s response to it, and what she makes of racist Republican Rep. Randy Fine’s vicious campaign against her.
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