New York’s attorney general has shut down a pro-Israel activist group’s operations in the state through a landmark settlement, marking the first such action against an organization accused of bias-motivated harassment and violence. The January 13, 2026, agreement with Betar US followed a 10-month probe into threats, intimidation, and clashes that targeted Muslims, Arabs, Palestinians, and even dissenting Jews, reshaping debates over activism and civil rights in a tense national climate.
A Century-Old Movement Revived
Betar US emerged in 2023, reviving the name and ideology of one of the world’s oldest surviving Zionist youth movements. The original Betar was founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Ze’ev Jabotinsky, making it one of the longest-standing Zionist organizations still active today—predating the establishment of Israel by 25 years. For over a century, various Betar chapters have operated globally as militant Zionist youth movements.
The American revival branded itself as the nation’s most active Zionist activist organization, advocating a bold, confrontational style that drew rapid scrutiny amid heightened U.S. tensions over Israel-Palestine issues. By reviving this century-old movement’s name and militant approach, Betar US positioned itself as heir to one of Zionism’s oldest organizational traditions.
Investigation Ignites
In March 2025, Attorney General Letitia James launched the inquiry after reports of threats against Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish individuals. Over 10 months, her office examined vast troves of documents, texts, and witness accounts from what investigators described as a decentralized network rather than a formal entity. Key incidents quickly surfaced, revealing patterns of organized intimidation.
Tactics of Fear
Early 2025 saw Betar members trying to affix beepers to those seen as Muslim or pro-Palestinian, echoing Israel’s September 2024 Lebanon pager explosions that killed 42 and wounded over 4,000. At a New York City university, wearers of hijabs and keffiyehs faced harassment. The group also targeted Jewish activists, with leaders noting they placed “Jews on lists” for perceived disloyalty, including threats to share names with foreign officials to block travel. Public boasts about facial recognition to identify masked protesters fueled deportation calls to the Trump administration, though later retracted. Social media posts demanded “blood in Gaza,” dismissed killed infants as insufficient, and derided keffiyehs as “rape rags,” signaling anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias per state findings.
Clashes and Vandalism Escalate
A February 18, 2025, Brooklyn protest turned violent after Betar rallied supporters to “bring dogs, borrow a pit bull” and “fight back” against labeled “terrorists.” One stabbing occurred, followed by Betar posts celebrating beatings with “Don’t come to Brooklyn.” Investigators documented trespassing at homes to rip down Palestinian flags, filmed for online gloating, plus vandalism of solidarity memorials. Jewish professors faced home threats if deemed insufficiently pro-Israel; Columbia’s Shai Davidai, a pro-Israel voice, publicly condemned Betar as “violence-loving thugs” and praised the AG’s enforcement action. In February 2025, the Anti-Defamation League listed Betar in its extremism database—the first Jewish group added—citing Proud Boys ties and Kahane rhetoric; Betar fired back, labeling ADL “radical extremist.”
Settlement Terms and Fallout
The deal mandates Betar cease encouraging violence, threats, or harassment of civil rights exercisers. It dissolves the New York not-for-profit, imposes three years of compliance reports, and suspends a $50,000 penalty for violations. Betar admits no wrongdoing, with the agreement explicitly barring any such construction. Chairman Ronn Torossian, a PR executive and former Betar leader, defended actions amid street threats to Jews.
This enforcement sets a precedent as the first state crackdown on a pro-Israel group for alleged bias incidents, prompting cheers for civil rights protections and charges of uneven application. With Betar vowing activity outside New York, questions linger on balancing activism, free speech, and safety amid polarized protests. The shutdown of this century-old movement’s American operations marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over the boundaries of political activism and hate-motivated conduct.
Sources:
Attorney General James Stops Violence, Harassment, and Intimidation from New York Extremist Group. Office of the Attorney General State of New York, January 13, 2026
New York AG settles with Jewish group she accused of intimidating pro-Palestinian activists. Associated Press via ABC News, January 13, 2026
Far-right Jewish group Betar to halt activities in NY, state attorney general says. The Times of Israel, January 13, 2026