New York Shuts Down Betar US: The End of a Pro-Israel Group’s Campaign of Intimidation 

In a landmark civil rights enforcement action, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement forcing the dissolution of the extremist pro-Israel group Betar US, which had engaged in a systematic campaign of intimidation against Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish New Yorkers.

The investigation uncovered tactics including attempting to force “beepers” onto people in reference to a deadly explosion, weaponizing immigration threats, doxxing activists, celebrating violence in Gaza, and encouraging armed presence at protests. Stemming from the militant Revisionist Zionist tradition of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, Betar’s modern operations violated state civil rights laws through bias-motivated harassment. The settlement, which includes a suspended $50,000 fine and three years of oversight, signals a powerful use of state authority to draw a legal line against political violence and protect free expression, setting a precedent for holding extremist groups accountable for using fear to silence dissent.

New York Shuts Down Betar US: The End of a Pro-Israel Group’s Campaign of Intimidation 

In a decisive move for civil rights, New York Attorney General Letitia James has forced the dissolution of Betar US, a far-right pro-Israel group, following a disturbing investigation that uncovered a pattern of violence, harassment, and intimidation targeting Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish New Yorkers. The settlement, announced on January 13, 2026, marks a significant legal stand against political violence and bias-motivated intimidation in one of America’s most diverse states. 

While the group maintains its innocence, the evidence compiled by the Attorney General’s office paints a stark picture of an organization that operated on the fringes, using fear as a primary tool to silence dissent and terrorize communities. 

The Settlement: Terms of a Shutdown 

Attorney General James’s investigation, launched in March 2025, concluded that Betar US had repeatedly violated New York’s civil rights laws. The resulting settlement imposes strict, legally binding terms designed to end its campaign of harassment for good. 

Key provisions of the agreement include: 

• Cessation of Operations: Betar has agreed to dissolve its New York not-for-profit corporation and wind down all operations within the state. Notably, while the dissolution was not formally ordered by the settlement, the group initiated the process following the investigation. 

• Permanent Injunctions: The group is permanently barred from instigating or encouraging violence, physically assaulting or threatening individuals, harassing protesters, or damaging property based on protected characteristics like religion or national origin. 

• Financial Penalty: Betar faces a suspended $50,000 penalty, which will be enforced immediately if the organization violates any term of the agreement. 

• Ongoing Oversight: For the next three years, Betar must submit annual compliance reports to the Attorney General’s office, which retains the right to pursue further legal action for any non-compliance. 

In a statement, Attorney General James was unequivocal: “New York will not tolerate organizations that use fear, violence, and intimidation to silence free expression or target people because of who they are… This behavior is unacceptable, and it is not who we are as New Yorkers”. 

A Pattern of Intimidation and Violence 

The Attorney General’s investigation documented a systematic campaign of harassment that went far beyond heated political rhetoric. Betar’s tactics were designed to terrorize and silence individuals across New York. 

• The “Beepers” Campaign: In one of the most chilling strategies, Betar members in early 2025 approached people perceived to be Muslim or supportive of Palestinian causes and attempted to force “beepers” (pagers) onto them. This act was a direct and threatening reference to a real 2024 Israeli military operation in Lebanon where explosive-laden pagers were detonated, killing and injuring thousands. Members followed students wearing hijabs or keffiyehs (traditional Palestinian scarves), shoving the devices into their pockets against their will. 

• Doxxing and Deportation Threats: Betar gained national attention by boasting that it used facial recognition software and “sophisticated databases” to compile lists of pro-Palestinian student activists on visas, which it then submitted to the Trump administration with requests for deportation. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security official later confirmed that information from Betar and other doxxing groups was used to target activists. The group also publicly threatened protesters with reports to immigration enforcement in an effort to chill free speech. 

• Celebrating Violence and Encouraging Weapons: The investigation found social media posts where Betar publicly celebrated violence against Palestinians, with one post calling the number of babies killed in Gaza “not enough” and declaring, “we demand blood in Gaza”. Privately, members discussed that violence was “needed” because “we are at war”. The group urged its supporters to bring weapons—including knives, pepper spray, and attack dogs—to protests. Violence at a February 2025 protest in Brooklyn, where a person was stabbed, was later celebrated by the group online. 

• Targeting Jewish Critics: In a stark illustration of its ideological extremism, Betar also targeted Jewish New Yorkers it deemed insufficiently supportive of its views. The group threatened to place Jewish activists on lists to be shared with foreign governments to bar them from travel, with leadership stating in private communications, “of course we place Jews on lists”. 

Ideological Roots: From Jabotinsky to Modern Extremism 

To understand Betar US, one must look at its historical lineage. The group is an offshoot of the Betar Movement, a Revisionist Zionist youth organization founded in 1923 in Latvia by Ze’ev Jabotinsky. Jabotinsky advocated for a militant, maximalist version of Zionism and the establishment of a Jewish state on both banks of the Jordan River. 

Historically, Betar served as a recruiting ground for the Irgun, a pre-state militia known for its attacks against Arab and British targets. Its legacy is complex; while it helped smuggle Jews to safety before and after the Holocaust, its ideology has also been linked to the banned Kahanist movement, which advocates for the segregation and expulsion of non-Jews from Israel. 

Betar US channeled this militant heritage into 21st-century activism, positioning itself as an unapologetically confrontational defender of Israel. It even drew parallels between itself and the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a group founded by Meir Kahane in the 1960s that was later designated a right-wing terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Like the JDL, Betar US embraced street-level confrontation and extreme rhetoric, setting itself apart from more mainstream pro-Israel organizations. 

The Broader Context: Rising Intolerance and Civil Rights Enforcement 

The shutdown of Betar US does not occur in a vacuum. It comes amid a documented rise in hate speech and Islamophobia both nationally and globally. Advocacy groups like CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) have reported record-high levels of anti-Muslim bias, where activism for Palestinian rights often triggers harassment and discrimination. 

The settlement represents a powerful use of state civil rights law to combat political violence. It signals that bias-motivated harassment—even when framed as political activism—will face serious legal consequences. As Raed Jarrar of DAWN noted, “Pro-Israel groups have become so blatant in their actions that governments can’t turn a blind eye”. 

Public reactions have been divided. While Arab-American and civil rights organizations applauded the move, some pro-Israel voices on social media questioned why similar investigations weren’t launched against pro-Palestinian groups. Betar US itself responded with defiance on social media, denying all allegations, claiming “Betar is mainstream Zionism,” and suggesting it had voluntarily moved operations to more “Zionist friendly” areas like Delaware. 

Key Differences Between Betar’s Tactics and Historical Precedents 

Conclusion: A Line in the Sand 

The closure of Betar US in New York is more than just the shuttering of one extremist group. It is a landmark affirmation that the right to protest and express dissent is protected for everyone, regardless of their viewpoint. Attorney General Letitia James has drawn a clear line, demonstrating that violent intimidation has no place in civic discourse. 

For the communities targeted by Betar, the settlement offers a measure of justice and safety. For the nation, it provides a robust template for how states can use their legal authority to confront hate-fueled harassment and protect civil rights. The true test will be in the settlement’s enforcement over the next three years and whether this action inspires similar accountability elsewhere. As the group’s chairman claimed it is simply moving its operations, the commitment of authorities in New York and beyond to monitor and respond to such threats remains critically important.