Introduction

Within Our Lifetime (WOL) is a radical New York-based organization founded in 2015. Known as Students for Justice in Palestine NYC (SJP NYC) until 2019, it is committed to the destruction of Israel. WOL promotes Palestinian resistance “by any means necessary” and advocates globalizing the Intifada, expressing support for terrorists both online and during protests. The organization explicitly calls for Israel’s complete eradication, advocating for it to be “wiped off the map” and urging Jews to leave the country. WOL frequently expresses support for acts of terror committed by U.S.-designated groups like Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Additionally, WOL endorses the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and provides legal aid to its activists. The group’s name reflects its members’ desire to see Israel’s demise within their lifetimes.

Nerdeen Kiswani, the Founder and Chair of WOL, consistently voices support for “resistance” and violence against Israel. She has vilified Zionists, calling for their expulsion from public spaces, and endorsed Israel’s destruction. Kiswani has glorified the intifada, honored leaders of the PFLP, and openly supported terrorism through her WOL activism. Additionally, she incited hostility against pro-Israel donors, demonized Zionism, and has denied the sexual assault on Israeli victims that occurred on October 7.

Mission and Ideology

According to its website, WOL has four objectives: advocating for the return of all Palestinian refugees to what it terms “historic Palestine,” a position that would lead to Israel’s demise; opposition to Zionism, which it falsely labels as a “settler-colonial, white supremacist ideology,” rejecting any form of co-existence, collaboration, or dialogue through a policy of anti-normalization; advocating for Palestinians’ right to resist through “any means necessary”; and challenging “U.S. imperialism,” signifying the group’s enmity extends to American policy.

Funding

WOL does not have public tax filings. The non-profit WESPAC Foundation, located in Westchester, New York, serves as the fiscal sponsor for Within Our Lifetime. It collects and processes online donations on behalf of WOL. According to its website, WOL utilized a funding platform called Donorbox. However, the donation link provided on the website was broken.

Response to the October 7 attacks

WOL has been the central organizing force in the series of “Flood”-themed protests in New York since October 7, 2023, including multiple bridge and highway blockades, a November riot at Grand Central Station, the vandalism of the New York Public Library, and protests at the Rockefeller Center Christmas-tree lighting.

On October 7, 2023, WOL issued a statement declaring, “We must defend the Palestinian right to resist Zionist settler violence and support Palestinian resistance in all its forms. By any means necessary. With no exceptions and no fine print.”

In November 2023, WOL published a map of Jewish and pro-Israel organizations in New York, alleging they had “blood on their hands” and encouraging people to “Make these locations a stop in your protests. picket and leaflet outside of them,” thereby threatening the safety of Jews in the area.

In February 2024, META deactivated Kiswani and Within Our Lifetime’s Facebook and Instagram accounts due to “violations of community guidelines.”

During an April 2024 protest, Abdullah Akl, a WOL organizer who also serves as the Director of Advocacy & Civic Engagement for the Muslim American Society (MAS), led a chant calling for Abu Obaida, Hamas’ military spokesman, to bomb Tel Aviv. According to a legal brief from federal prosecutors, MAS “was founded as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in America.”

On August 29, 2024, WOL released a statement on Telegram glorifying Tulkarm Battalion commander Muhammad Jabber, also known as “Abu Shujaa,” a senior terrorist who was killed by Israeli security forces in the Nur Shams refugee camp the previous day.

Sources: Luke Tress, “Pro-Palestinian protester falsely claims no proof of Hamas rape on Oct. 7,” Forward, (January 16, 2024).
“Nerdeen Kiswani and Within Our Lifetime-United for Palestine: What You Need to Know,” Anti-Defamation League, (March 2, 2023).
“Who are the Primary Groups Behind the U.S. Anti-Israel Rallies?” Anti-Defamation League, (October 20, 2023).
“Point of Unity,” Within Our Lifetime.
Simone Weichselbaum and Alexandra Chaidez, “Who’s behind the pro-Palestinian protests that are disrupting Biden’s campaign events and blocking city streets?” NBC News, (March 20, 2024).
“The NGO Network Orchestrating Antisemitic Incitement on American Campuses,” NGO Monitor, (April 25, 2024).
Park Macdougald, “The People Setting America on Fire,” Tablet, (May 6, 2024).
“Israeli security forces kill major West Bank terrorist commander,” i24News (August 29, 2024).
wolpalestine, (August 29, 2024).