As the end of August approaches, Detroit is preparing to host the annual People’s Conference for Palestine—a gathering that, this year, is engulfed in heated controversy. The event, scheduled from August 29 to August 31, 2025, has drawn sharp criticism and ignited debate across the United States, largely due to its roster of speakers. Among them are individuals with past ties to Palestinian militant organizations, including some who were recently released from Israeli prisons as part of high-profile hostage exchanges.
At the heart of the uproar is Hussam Shaheen, a 53-year-old Palestinian who was freed in February 2025 during an Israel-Hamas prisoner-hostage swap. According to VINnews, Shaheen was once deeply involved in the military wings of Palestinian movements, establishing a cell of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in East Jerusalem in the early 2000s. In 2004, he was sentenced by Israeli authorities to 27 years in prison for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, related to aborted terror attacks in Jerusalem. During his incarceration, Shaheen became known as a writer, described by conference organizers as someone “known for capturing the complexities of life in captivity.”
The controversy intensified after it was revealed that Shaheen would be a featured speaker at the Detroit conference. As reported by The Detroit News, Shaheen’s participation has drawn condemnation from some Jewish Americans who consider him a terrorist. Israeli-American journalist Doron Levin expressed his concerns bluntly, stating, “As for the premise of Shaheen’s attendance at the rally, it should be obvious to anyone interested in Palestinian self-determination that the only legitimate path to this goal must be a peaceful one, a path based on reconciliation and mutual recognition between the Palestinian and Israeli people.” He added, “Subversion and violence, such as what lay at the foundation of today’s events in Gaza, are what landed Shaheen in prison and undoubtedly have set back his cause rather than advanced it.”
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, community relations director at the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, echoed similar sentiments. “It’s tragic that the Palestinians are being led by terrorists and by just people that their only goal is to destroy Israel,” Lopatin told The Detroit News. “I think if people are interested in helping out the Palestinian people, they need to turn to Israel in peace and work towards peace with Israel. Anything else is counterproductive for the Palestinian people.”
But Shaheen is not the only controversial figure on the agenda. Omar Assaf, a 75-year-old Palestinian and former official in the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), is also slated to speak. The DFLP is a left-wing Palestinian faction whose military wing has, according to Israel National News, been involved in violence, including the Ma’alot massacre in 1994 that killed 21 children. Assaf, who was detained in the West Bank after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and held for six months without charge before being released, is currently the coordinator of the executive committees of the Palestinian Popular Conference. This organization, as noted by Jerusalem Post, praised the Gazan attackers and promised to “build upon the achievements of the terrorist attack” following the October 7 events.
Another name drawing scrutiny is Abu-Bakr Abd, a Gazan journalist who fled the Gaza Strip and is affiliated with Iranian propaganda outlets and Hamas. VINnews reported that Abd has publicly expressed admiration for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, justified executions carried out by the organization, and even expressed regret that he had not personally participated in terrorist attacks. Abd is a writer for Iran’s PressTV and other Palestinian websites, further fueling concerns among critics that the conference is providing a platform for extremist views.
The conference will also feature prominent U.S. figures, including Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit Democrat and the only Palestinian-American in Congress. Tlaib, who addressed last year’s conference, is known for her outspoken criticism of Israeli policy and has previously labeled President Joe Biden as an “enabler” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Other attendees include Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, activists Mahmoud Khalil and Linda Sarsour, and participants in Gaza-bound flotillas. According to VINnews, the event aims to bring together voices from the Palestinian liberation movement in North America and address the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The publication of the speakers’ list has triggered a wave of criticism from conservative commentators and Jewish organizations. Independent journalist Laura Loomer, who is closely associated with former President Donald Trump, lambasted the U.S. State Department for allowing individuals with terrorist backgrounds to receive visas. “How is it possible that an Islamist terrorist is getting a visa to speak at a jihadist conference in the U.S.? There are jihad activists in the State Department,” Loomer wrote on social media. She called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “clean the stables” at the department and fire “all the infiltrators and spies in the administration,” questioning, “What is taking the Trump administration so long?” As of August 20, 2025, there has been no official response from the State Department or the administration regarding the controversy.
Jewish organizations have voiced concern that allowing such individuals to participate in public events in the West could legitimize terrorism and help spread anti-Israel propaganda under the guise of civil activism. Some have warned that the conference risks normalizing extremist rhetoric and undermining efforts toward peaceful coexistence in the region.
In response to mounting criticism, conference organizers released a statement on social media, rejecting what they described as “attempts by pro-Israel figures and media to smear and silence the People’s Conference for Palestine.” The statement read, “These same figures, who spent years screeching about free speech, are now spreading lies and calling on the federal government to crack down on our rights, and silence Palestinian organizing. We want to be very clear: we remain undeterred and committed to the struggle for Palestinian liberation. … We affirm that nothing will silence us from sharing the stories of Palestinians tortured in Israeli prisons or of journalists who risked their lives to document Israel’s genocide.”
The annual conference, which reportedly drew more than 3,000 attendees last year, is set to feature speeches, informational sessions, and a vendor fair showcasing Palestinian art and culture. This year’s event is also introducing special programming for children ages six to twelve, aimed at engaging them with Palestinian national identity through arts and crafts.
However, the controversy over the speakers’ backgrounds has overshadowed much of the event’s intended focus. The debate highlights the deep divisions within American society over the Israel-Palestine conflict, with voices on all sides expressing concern—some about the dangers of legitimizing violence, others about the suppression of Palestinian perspectives and free speech.
As Detroit braces for the conference, the city finds itself at the crossroads of a global debate, where questions of security, free speech, and the boundaries of legitimate activism are once again front and center. With passions running high and no easy answers in sight, the People’s Conference for Palestine is shaping up to be one of the most contentious and closely watched events of the year.
