Billionaire Activist’s Connections to Hamas and Iran Under Scrutiny

A billionaire anti-war activist, who recently coordinated a well-publicized “humanitarian aid” convoy to Cuba, has connections to both Hamas and the Iranian government.

The convoy, which drew significant attention, featured participants such as Isra Hirsi, daughter of Ilhan Omar, and left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. Both praised their experience in Cuba, describing it as a visit to the ailing communist state.

The event was organized by Mehdi Benjamin, 73, who chairs the Arc of Justice Foundation, a charity boasting $51 million in assets.

Photos reveal that Benjamin visited Gaza multiple times between 2009 and 2012, where he met with Hamas leaders, including then-leader Ismail Haniyeh. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. since 1997.

Benjamin, alongside fellow activist Ty Barry, also met with senior Hamas official Ahmed Youssef, who once conveyed a letter to President Obama from the group in 2009.

Youssef was often referred to as “Hamas’ gateway to the West” and was a senior adviser to Gaza’s prime minister before his assassination in 2024.

After delivering Hamas’ letter to the U.S. Embassy in Cairo when officials were reluctant to meet with the group, Benjamin and Barry were actively involved in the correspondence.

According to sources, Code Pink has openly acted as a liaison between Hamas and the Obama administration, even meeting with an official shortly after delivering the letter.

Legal experts have pointed out that providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations may result in violations of federal law.

Benjamin co-founded Code Pink, an organization established by Jodie Evans, wife of activist Neville Singham, who remains involved as its financial director. Barry has been a spokesperson for Code Pink for over a decade.

The Arc of Justice Foundation, previously known as the Benjamin Fund, has connections to Benjamin’s daughter, Maya Mandela Danaher, who is the charity’s treasurer and resides in a $2 million Manhattan apartment.

Benjamin stated, “I have consistently opposed war and have always encouraged governments to choose the path of diplomacy,” emphasizing his activism dates back to the Vietnam War era.

Despite stepping back from the Board of Directors to pass responsibilities to a younger generation, he asserted, “I have no ties to any foreign organization. I am an American citizen promoting peace.”

The charity moved its operations from California to Washington, D.C., and is currently based in North Miami.

While the Arc of Justice Foundation did not respond to requests for comments, it has not disclosed its politically driven trip to Cuba, which may contravene Florida law.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services flags Cuba as a “foreign country of concern,” and registration is required for business dealings, though it’s unclear if aid delivery counts as business.

A senior NCRI researcher suggested that the existing operations appear to be bypassing Florida’s legal requirements due to their unregistered charity status.

The Nicaragua trip, involving Hirsi and Piker in March, delivered 20 tons of humanitarian supplies. Participants reportedly stayed in upscale accommodations on the island.

Hirsi later mentioned that her experience of frequent power outages in Cuba was life-changing, stressing that “as Americans, aiding Cuba is crucial, considering the sanctions imposed for so long.”

Code Pink, alongside the Arc of Justice, is working with the Institute of Friendship of the Cuban Peoples (ICAP) on future support convoys, managed by Fernando González Rolt, who has a history of espionage convictions in the U.S.

Critics have pointed out the irony in organizations like Code Pink claiming to advocate for human rights while associating with regimes that threaten freedoms and promote anti-American sentiment. Florida’s lieutenant governor highlighted this as “ideological blindness disguised as progressivism.”

Aside from the Cuba convoy, reports indicate Benjamin has made numerous trips to Iran, including a 2014 conference where she discussed strategies against Israel.

Five years later, she led a delegation to Iran, where she met then-Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and attended a conference linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, deemed an intelligence and recruitment site by the U.S. Treasury.