The Trump administration is attacking academia because it threatens existing power structures and dominant elites. This is seen most clearly when it comes to Palestine.

Counterinsurgency against U.S. social movements has evolved since the 1960s. What was once the exclusive domain of state agencies has now been privatized. This is seen perhaps most clearly in the ongoing campaign to neutralize the Palestine movement.

The Trump administration’s recent investigation of 60 schools for “antisemitic discrimination” appeared to target campus protests. But, a closer look shows it was driven by pro-Israel groups’ use of civil rights law to push a broad right-wing agenda.

The Heritage Foundation’s “Project Esther” claims to combat antisemitism but in fact, aims to destroy the Palestine solidarity movement as a first step in a crusade against all domestic dissent in the U.S.

If passed, the anti-charities bill would be the most dangerous piece of domestic antiterrorism legislation since the PATRIOT Act and it would take direct aim at the Palestine movement.