Ariel Gold is an American peace activist and nonprofit executive. Raised in Ithaca, New York, in a Jewish family, her activism is informed by Jewish traditions of social justice (Tikkun Olam).
Gold served as the National Co-Director and Middle East Policy Director for the anti-war organization CODEPINK, where she led campaigns focused on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, arms sales, and Palestinian rights. In 2022, she was appointed Executive Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR-USA), the oldest interfaith peace organization in the United States. She is a frequent contributor to commentary outlets, including Al Jazeera, Common Dreams, and Tikkun Magazine.
Gold has engaged in nonviolent direct action and Palestinian rights advocacy in the West Bank and the United States. In 2018, despite having a valid visa for graduate studies at Hebrew University, she was permanently banned from entering Israel due to her support for the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement—a case that sparked global debate over freedom of expression in Israel.
Defending progressive lawmakers facing political attacks over their foreign policy stances, Gold wrote regarding Representative Ilhan Omar: “Omar’s foreign policy approach simply calls on our nation, as well as Israel, to live up to the values it espouses. That’s why the Washington establishment and defenders of Israel’s status quo find her so dangerous.“ During the war in Gaza, Gold helped coordinate civil disobedience demonstrations and lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, and an end to the blockade of Gaza. She rejects arguments that equate criticism of Israeli state policy with antisemitism, arguing that true Jewish safety requires upholding universal human rights and equal political rights for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Gold is also one of the signatories of the 2025 public statement, “Global Jewish Call on the UN and World Leaders to Sanction Israel.”