Prominent Palestinian Legal Group Mourns Employee's Brother — a DFLP Terrorist
Al-Haq, which has been involved in the ICJ and ICC cases against Israel and holds UN consultative status, mourns the DFLP's "field leader" and "head of training" in Rafah
On June 4, 2025, Al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights organization, issued a statement mourning the death of Eyad Abu Rahma, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Eyad, the brother of Al-Haq field researcher Mohammad Abu Rahma, was posthumously honored as a “martyr” by the organization.*
However, a recent investigation by Jewish Onliner has uncovered that Eyad was not a civilian, but a “prominent field leaders and the head of training and preparation in Rafah” of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) terrorist organization at the time of his death.
The DFLP’s Violent Activities
The DFLP's violent history dates back decades. One of the group's most infamous attacks was the 1974 Ma’alot massacre, in which DFLP operatives took over a school in northern Israel and killed 25 hostages, including 22 children, and injured 68 hostages.
Initially designated by the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), the DFLP was removed from the terror list due to its reduced activity. However, the group has maintained a presence in the Gaza Strip, where it was documented participating in the Hamas-led October 7th massacre, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Its participation in the massacre has led to calls to re-designate them as an FTO.
Concerns Over Al-Haq’s Role in International Legal Fora
Al-Haq’s eulogy for Eyad, in which the organization expresses deep sorrow and reverence for his death, has raised concern among the public in light of the DFLP's violent activity, as does its decision to honor him without acknowledging his role in the terror group.
Al-Haq’s influence within the international legal community, particularly with its consultative status at the United Nations, only amplifies the concern. As an organization that plays a substantial role in shaping global discourse on Palestinian rights, and which has been involved in the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court cases against Israel, Al-Haq’s public support for individuals tied to militant groups like the DFLP undermines its credibility and the credibility of the cases, critics argue.
NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based watchdog organization, told Jewish Onliner that “Al-Haq officials and employees have repeatedly glorified and legitimized terrorist attacks, including the Hamas-orchestrated October 7th massacre. This, while pursuing legal and political initiatives in several countries to enforce an arms embargo against Israel, in order to hobble its defenses.”
Al-Haq’s PFLP Ties
Relatedly, Al-Haq has long been accused of acting as a front group for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S. and EU-designated terrorist organization. On October 22, 2021, the Israeli Ministry of Defense labeled Al-Haq a “terror organization,” alleging that it is part of a network supporting the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Earlier, in May 2018, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express stopped processing online donations to Al-Haq due to its connections with the PFLP.
According to NGO Monitor, Shawan Jabarin, General Director of Al-Haq, has longstanding ties to the PFLP, which has led to Israel and Jordan denying him exit visas. In 2017, he participated in a panel discussion with former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Jabarin also represented the PFLP at a 2011 meeting of the Palestinian factions, and his PFLP connections were cited in his resignation from the Follow-Up Committee for Issues of Public Liberties and Trust Building.
Convicted in 1985 for recruiting PFLP members, Jabarin was repeatedly denied travel by Israeli courts, which cited his continued involvement with the PFLP, including his leadership role in its terrorist activities. The Israeli Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed his ties to terrorism, most recently in 2009, when it dismissed his appeal to travel abroad, citing reliable evidence of his links to terrorist organizations.
*Translation of Al Haq’s post mourning Eyad:
“With deep sorrow and sympathy, Al-Haq Foundation, represented by its general assembly members, its board of directors, its executive management, and its staff, extends its heartfelt condolences and sincerest feelings of sympathy to our colleague Mohammad Abu Rahma, the field researcher of the foundation in Gaza, and his honorable family, for the martyrdom of his brother Iyad Deeb Ali Abu Rahma, who was killed this morning, June 4, 2025, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted his tent. We ask Allah Almighty to grant him His vast mercy and to grant him eternal peace in His gardens, and may He inspire his family and loved ones with patience and solace. Mercy and peace to all martyrs of Palestine.”