5 days ago
American Communist Party Int'l Secretary Christopher Helali on Iranian TV Discusses Arrest of Mohsen Mahdawi: U.S. Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Activists Driven by Israel Lobby; 'Some of My Best Frien
Christopher Helali, International Secretary of the American Communist Party (ACP), discussed the recent crackdown on anti-Israel activists in the U.S. in an interview with Press TV (Iran) correspondent Johnny Miller, which was aired from Russia on May 17, 2025. Helali spoke about Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian Columbia University student from Vermont who was detained during his immigration interview. Mahdawi, who according to allegations told a gun shop owner he wanted a gun to 'kill Jews in Palestine,' was described by Helali as 'one of the most peaceful and non-violent activists we've had in Vermont.'
Helali claimed that the increased immigration enforcement targeting pro-Palestinian activists is happening at the direction of Israel and the pro-Israel lobby, which he said holds 'tremendous power.' He asserted that none of the arrested activists had incited violence against Jews, adding: 'Some of my best friends, my best comrades, are Jews.' He also said that he feels freer and safer in Russia than in the United States. During the interview, Helali noted that at the time of the arrest, he had just returned from Sana'a, where he attended the 'Palestine: The Central Issue of the Nation' conference alongside fellow ACP founder Jackson Hinkle.
