Shawan Jabarin, the general director of Al-Haq, a Palestinian “human rights” organization, was observed as part of the South African delegation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last week. Jabarin, a former senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and around 30 Western countries – has a contentious history.
Jabarin’s past includes convictions for his involvement with the PFLP and multiple prison sentences. The Israeli Supreme Court, in a 2007 ruling, described him as playing dual roles in both a non-governmental organization and a terrorist group. The Israeli Supreme Court described Jabarin as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in light of these dual roles, such as reportedly recruiting PFLP members into Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO known for promoting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
PFLP involvement in October 7
The PFLP, according to a report by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, publicly claimed responsibility for the October 7 terror attack. This announcement came through messages on their Telegram account, urging participation in the “Tufan Al-Aqsa” campaign and reporting attacks on Israeli communities.
One message on Telegram called on “…our brave people in Palestine to actively participate in the Tufan Al-Aqsa campaign everywhere and by all possible means”. The campaign related to a series of violent confrontations occurred between Palestinians and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem in April. An hour later, they stated, “Fighters of the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades continue to advance on several fronts towards the enemy settlements, shooting live fire at the Zionists, killing and wounding them.”
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, commenting on Jabarin’s inclusion in the South African delegation, tweeted, “Tell me who stands behind you, and I tell you who you are,” linking Jabarin to the PFLP. In a 2008 decision, the Israeli High Court reaffirmed Jabarin’s status as a senior member of the PFLP.
Jabarin has faced travel restrictions imposed by Israel and Jordan, which are attributed to his ties with the PFLP. While human rights organizations have criticized these measures, the Israeli Supreme Court has upheld the travel ban as a security precaution.
In contrast, Jabarin’s 2013 statements in the Huffington Post criticized the Oslo peace process. He argued that it merely masked the ongoing Israeli occupation and failed to address Palestinian sovereign rights. Jabarin urged the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to anchor future negotiations in international law.
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