Archewell Foundation Cuts Funding to Muslim Women's Group Over Pro-Palestinian Statements
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Foundation has severed financial ties with the Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition (MMWC) after controversial statements made by the organization's founder regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict came to light. The foundation cited "zero tolerance for hateful words, actions, or propaganda" in its decision to withdraw support from programs that had been helping Afghan refugee women in Milwaukee.
The funding cut reportedly occurred in early April 2025 after U.S. broadcaster NewsNation informed Archewell about pro-Palestinian statements made by MMWC founder and executive director Janan Najeeb, triggering debate about free speech, advocacy limits, and the silencing of Muslim voices.
The Controversial Statements That Led to Defunding
According to multiple reports, Archewell's decision was made after the company became aware of Najeeb's writings, which included the phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" – a slogan considered highly charged and contested in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a 2024 blog post, Najeeb wrote: "Israel's 75-year occupation of Palestine and the genocide in Gaza are a grave injustice. We demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to arming the apartheid state of Israel, and the liberation of Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!"
The Jerusalem Post reported that in February 2023, Najeeb had also written an article for the Wisconsin Muslim Journal in which she called for "an end to arming the apartheid state of Israel".
Archewell executive directors James Holt and Shauna Nep addressed Najeeb directly in their termination letter, writing: "Janan, we've recently been notified of a blog post you wrote that goes against the values of the foundation. As a foundation, we celebrate different perspectives and backgrounds, but we have zero tolerance for hateful words, actions, or propaganda".
The Impact on Afghan Refugee Programs
The funding cut directly impacts programs designed to support vulnerable Afghan women who resettled in Milwaukee following the 2021 U.S. military evacuation from Afghanistan.
Tax documents reveal that the Archewell Foundation donated $27,960 to the Muslim Women's Coalition in 2023 to support a sewing circle for Afghan evacuee women in Milwaukee. According to Najeeb, a similar grant had been provided for 2024 before it was terminated.
The sewing circles program, launched in October 2022, was designed to provide Afghan women with a safe space to socialize, share stories, and learn together while preserving connections to their cultural heritage. The initiative runs parallel to MMWC's "Be-a-Buddy Program," which connects resettled Afghan children and teens with American peers.
"It's just a wonderful opportunity for them to be connected. For many of them, this is the only outing they have during the week to be with other community members who speak their language," Najeeb told local news outlet TMJ.
Conflicting Accounts of the Termination
There appear to be discrepancies in accounts of how the funding termination transpired.
Najeeb told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that before she was notified of Archewell's decision to cut funding, a foundation staffer called to ask about her opinion piece. According to Najeeb, the staff member only mentioned a piece in the Journal Sentinel, not the Muslim Journal article that contained the controversial phrase.
"A tabloid-type journalist has contacted them and was threatening to write an article that was disparaging," Najeeb told TMJ4. "These bullying tactics are meant to silence people".
However, NewsNation has claimed credit for bringing Najeeb's February 2024 op-ed in the Wisconsin Muslim Journal to Archewell's attention. People magazine reported that Archewell's decision followed not only the op-ed but also Najeeb's alleged support for a mural created by her brother that "merged a Star of David with a swastika".
Backlash and Support Following the Decision
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), described as the largest Muslim organization in the United States, has criticized Archewell's decision. According to the New York Post, CAIR issued a letter to the foundation accusing Harry and Meghan of "silencing women of color who speak out against oppression" and contradicting their charitable objectives.
"There is a painful irony in your decision to withdraw support from women, many of them survivors, because the leader of a women's organization dared to speak out against the creation of more war survivors," Najeeb stated in the letter.
Since news of the funding cut became public, the program has received significant financial support from other sources.
"A third party started a LaunchGood campaign, and within 24 hours, we surpassed an entire year's worth of the foundation money," Najeeb told TMJ.
The Contested Phrase and Its Implications
The phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" has become a flashpoint in discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As noted in the Meredith Constant substack newsletter, "Like so much of the Mideast conflict, what the phrase means depends on who is telling the story — and which audience is hearing it".
Some interpret the slogan as a call for Palestinian freedom and human rights across the entire region from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. In contrast, others view it as implicitly threatening Israel's existence within those exact geographic boundaries.
The Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition has defended Najeeb's statements as legitimate criticism of Israeli state policy rather than hate speech or antisemitism. In her response to Archewell, Najeeb noted that her views align with those taken by major international human rights organizations.
Archewell's Position and Role as a Nonprofit
As a registered U.S. nonprofit operating under the 501(c)(3) charitable organization framework, Archewell must navigate complex legal and ethical considerations around its partnerships and public statements.
"Under American tax law, nonprofits are strictly prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity. Even perceived alignment with inflammatory rhetoric or controversial symbolism can jeopardize a foundation's credibility—and its ability to maintain tax-exempt status," explains the Feminegra analysis.
The Archewell Foundation was founded in 2020 by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as a vehicle for their philanthropic endeavors following their departure from official royal duties. Its stated mission is to "do good" and "uplift communities" worldwide.
Broader Context: Royal Family Connections
The controversy comes at a time when the relationship between the British monarchy and Israel-Palestine issues has received increased scrutiny.
According to the Wisconsin Muslim Journal article, Queen Elizabeth II never made an official visit to Israel, a stance many attribute to the violent legacy of the British Mandate period and the Zionist insurgency.
The journal also reported that former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin claimed the Queen believed "every Israeli is either a terrorist or the child of one." During a 1984 visit to Jordan, she reportedly remarked, "What a depressing map" when shown illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
A 1986 letter by then-Prince Charles (now King Charles III), revealed in 2017, expressed sympathy for Arab perspectives on Israel, noting that he "hadn't realized they view it as a U.S. colony" and commenting on "the influx of foreign European Jews (especially from Poland)".
Implications for Harry and Meghan's Social Justice Positioning
For Harry and Meghan, who have positioned themselves as champions of social justice since stepping back from royal duties, the decision to defund a Muslim women's group over pro-Palestine statements has raised questions about their commitment to supporting marginalized voices.
Prince Harry has previously declared his commitment to social justice, stating it is "going “take every single person on the planet right now" to end racism. He and Markle have also leveled claims of racism against the royal family itself.
This apparent contradiction has not gone unnoticed by critics, who question whether the couple's approach to philanthropy may be influenced by external pressures or concerns about public perception.
Future Outlook
As of April 23, 2025, the Archewell Foundation has not issued a public statement regarding the funding termination on its website or social media channels.
The Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, meanwhile, has reshared several posts about the funding cut on its official Instagram handle, calling for support for the coalition. Their LaunchGood crowdfunding campaign has already surpassed the annual funding previously provided by Archewell.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by charitable foundations operating in an increasingly polarized political environment, where statements about international conflicts can quickly become controversial and jeopardize partnerships.
For refugee support programs like the Afghan Women's Sewing Circle, the most immediate concern remains ensuring continuity of services for vulnerable populations caught in the crossfire of broader political and ideological disputes.