Posted For: Suri
A Palestinian activist known for organizing anti-Israel protests in New York City has again drawn attention after a series of controversial social media posts and statements that critics say reflect a long record of extreme rhetoric.
Nerdeen Kiswani has been a leading figure in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in New York through the organization Within Our Lifetime (WOL), a group that advocates what it calls the “full liberation of Palestine.” The group has organized marches through several New York City boroughs where protesters have chanted slogans such as “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Critics say the phrase calls for the elimination of Israel.
Kiswani recently sparked backlash after posting on X that dogs should not be kept as indoor pets in New York City because they are considered unclean in Islam. She wrote that the city was “coming to Islam” and added that while dogs may have a place in society, they should not live inside homes.
The post quickly spread online and drew criticism. Kiswani later claimed the comment was meant as a joke and mocked critics who reacted strongly to it. In a follow-up message she wrote that she did not care if people owned dogs, but said she did care when pet owners failed to clean up after them. She also suggested the comment was part of an ongoing New York City conversation joking about dog waste left on streets after winter snow.
Muslims traditionally have different views about dogs than many Western cultures. Some Islamic teachings discourage keeping dogs as household pets, with many believers saying dogs are meant primarily for work such as hunting, guarding, or herding.
The controversy over the dog comments comes amid a broader history of statements and posts by Kiswani that have been widely criticized.
On January 8, 2017, she reacted on Facebook to celebrations by some Palestinians after a vehicular ramming attack in Jerusalem that killed four people and injured 17 others on a promenade. In the post, Kiswani wrote that while some people in the West were condemning the attack, she would not distance herself from Palestinians celebrating it. She wrote that such reactions helped keep “the resistance moving forward.”
During a Within Our Lifetime rally on July 31, 2021, fireworks were set off during the demonstration. Afterward, Kiswani addressed the crowd and said she hoped the “pop-pop” sound would be the last noise that some Zionists hear in their lifetime. The remark drew strong criticism from opponents who said it appeared to reference gunfire.
Her social media posts about Hamas leaders have also sparked controversy. On January 25, 2025, Kiswani wrote on X that newly released footage of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had the opposite effect of what Zionists intended. She said the footage had instead “immortalized” him and claimed his name would resonate across generations.
Sinwar had been a Hamas leader since the 1980s and was identified as the architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
In another message posted on January 19, 2025, Kiswani referenced what Hamas called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” the name used by the group for the October 7 attacks. She wrote that the operation made possible the release of Palestinian prisoners and said it demonstrated that a colonized people would continue to resist and ultimately prevail.
Kiswani and her organization also drew criticism following the October 7 attack, in which more than 1,400 Israelis were killed and more than 200 people were taken hostage. At the time she shared a message from Within Our Lifetime calling for a rally to “defend the heroic Palestinian resistance,” honor “martyrs,” and show that New York City stood with Gaza.
The group’s website states that oppressed people have the right to achieve liberation “by any means necessary,” a phrase critics argue encourages violence.
Kiswani’s activism dates back more than a decade. In 2014 she shared a statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) after members of the group carried out an attack inside a Jerusalem synagogue that killed four worshippers. The statement described the killings as a “natural response” to Israeli actions.
She and her organization have also circulated material praising the PFLP and one of its most well-known figures, Leila Khaled, who participated in the hijacking of two civilian aircraft: TWA Flight 840 in 1969 and El Al Flight 219 in 1970.
In 2022 Kiswani posted a meme using the Little Miss cartoon character that included the message “Little Miss telling everyone Israel will be wiped off the map inshallah.”
That same year she was also accused of antisemitism following remarks delivered in a speech at the City University of New York School of Law in Queens, where she sharply criticized Zionists and condemned efforts to normalize relations with Israel.
Her statements and activism have continued to fuel debate in New York City about political protest movements, antisemitism, and the broader conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups.