Al Jazeera Contributor is Linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Recieved Award from Terror Group
Youssef Fares—a contributor for Al Jazeera—appears to be linked to PIJ and has participated in events glorifying the group’s terror activities, even receiving a media award from its leaders
Youssef Fares, a contributor for Al Jazeera’s Media Institute, appears to be linked to the U.S.-designated terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), according to a Jewish Onliner investigation. On July 8, 2025, Fares published an article on Al Jazeera's Media Institute website offering best practices for reporting on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Additionally, he contributed to a book published by the Al Jazeera Media Institute called Bearing Witness Alone, which provided testimonies from journalists in Gaza and the West Bank. However, open-source evidence suggests that Fares is affiliated with PIJ and has participated in events glorifying the group’s terror activities and supporting its leaders.
Connection to PIJ
In June 2021, Fares was photographed at a PIJ-sponsored ceremony where he and other journalists were awarded for their media support of PIJ's offensive against Israel, dubbed the “Sword of Jerusalem” battle. The image, shared by Fares on his personal Facebook page, shows him receiving the award from PIJ leaders. He captioned the photo: “Journalists' honoring ceremony. Thanks to the dear brothers in the leadership of the Islamic Jihad Movement.”
Photos from 2019 show Fares sitting with a child wearing a terrorist uniform at a PIJ ceremony commemorating so-called “martyrs.” The event featured armed terrorists displaying weapons such as machine guns and rockets.
Additionally, Fares posted photos on Facebook in which he was seen interviewing a masked PIJ terrorist, and one of them was captioned: “You are beautiful and you do not need their prayers to make you beautiful.”
Fares’ Support for Terrorism
Fares’ media work clearly shows his support for terror groups. He has written articles commemorating high-ranking PIJ terrorists, including Hussam Abu Harbid and Ramadan Shallah. One such article was published on the official PIJ website, “Saraya.” Additionally, Fares' Telegram account contains posts glorifying atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7th massacre.
In 2017, Fares attended a workshop titled "Mechanisms for Dealing with the Zionist Media," hosted by the Hamas Media Office. He also spoke at the event alongside Hamas official Salama Maarouf.
Al Jazeera Media Institute and Its Role in Shaping Media Narratives
The Al Jazeera Media Institute has been implicated in training journalists to promote anti-Western and Qatari-aligned narratives. Analyst Leslie Kajomovitz recently outlined how the institute educates journalists who often amplify terror-aligned propaganda. Kajomovitz pointed out that Al Jazeera’s programs have trained tens of thousands of journalists, many of whom are exposed to narratives sympathetic to groups like Hamas and PIJ.
The evidence linking Youssef Fares to Palestinian Islamic Jihad and his participation in events glorifying its terror activity and supporting PIJ leaders highlights a significant lack of objectivity and professional integrity. As a journalist for Al Jazeera, Fares' affiliations and activities challenge the credibility of both his work and the broader media organization.