Potential Circumvention of Terror-Finance Sanctioned Palestinian NGO
Publicly available evidence strongly suggests that the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq – designated as a terrorist entity by Israel in October 2021 – has established a European entity to circumvent sanctions. Registered on September 27, 2022 by the Business Court of Brussels under the name “Al-Haq Human Rights Organisation Europe (Al-Haq Europe),”1 as demonstrated below, Al-Haq Europe is closely affiliated with the Ramallah-based NGO Al-Haq.2
In October 2021, the Israel Ministry of Defense designated Al-Haq citing ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a US and EU-designated terrorist organization. As stated in the Israeli decision, Al-Haq is part of “a network of organizations” that operates “on behalf” of the PFLP.
In addition, in 2018, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express ceased processing credit card donations to Al-Haq, over concerns regarding the NGO’s ties to the PFLP. Al-Haq Europe utilizes the services of these and other companies to process donations.
(Notably, another PFLP-linked Palestinian NGO has established a Belgian entity – also apparently to avoid terror-financing sanctions. In December 2022, Bisan, designated by Israel in October 2021, registered with Belgian authorities. According to Belgian anti-Israel advocacy NGO Viva Salud, “Labeling social organizations in Palestine as terrorists is one of Israel’s repressive strategies. This is why Bisan, with the help of Viva Salud, opened an office in Brussels. This is a mitigation measure to strengthen Bisan’s action with political decision-makers.”)
Al-Haq Europe Finances
To date, Al-Haq Europe has not published any financial information, either regarding its fundraising or transfers to other bodies. Other sources indicate that the group received over £630,000 from anonymous and ostensibly “private donors” in October 2024 (details below) and $250,000 from the Open Society Foundation in 2023. It is also a recipient of a grant from the Foundation for Middle East Peace in 2024 (amount not published).
Ties between Al-Haq Europe and Al-Haq
Beyond their shared name, there are strong indications of a close and overlapping relationship between Al-Haq Europe and Al-Haq.
Organizational ties
- In January 2024, the Belgian Federation of Development Cooperation Associations (ACODEV) published a job listing for Al-Haq Europe. The post – published before the launch of Al-Haq Europe’s website in June 2024 – directed applicants to view Al-Haq’s website.
- Al-Haq Europe’s joint July 2024 report with the Dutch BDS organization, SOMO – “Obligations of Third States and Corporations to Prevent and Punish Genocide in Gaza” – is promoted on the websites of both Al-Haq Europe and Al-Haq. On its website, the latter categorizes the report under the “International Advocacy” section. On the report’s first page, the link provided for “Al-Haq Europe” directs to the website of the Palestinian NGO.
- On December 5, 2024, Al-Haq Europe published a legal opinion on its website, claiming in the summary that it was “commissioned by Al-Haq Europe.” Yet, in the full opinion, also published on Al-Haq Europe website, the expert states that he “was commissioned to write it by the Palestinian human rights NGO Al Haq.”
- Al-Haq Europe stated on its website that it participated in a December 2023 UN session and had delivered “a joint statement at the general debate,” alongside other NGOs. In fact, the statement in question, which was published on Al-Haq’s website and which bears the logo of the Ramallah-based NGO, was delivered by Al-Haq’s legal adviser Ahmed Abofoul, “on behalf of Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Defense for Children International-Palestine, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).”
- Al-Haq Europe wrote that it participated in a colloquium, organized by FIDH, at the European Parliament. In its social media coverage of the event, FIDH identified Maha Abdallah as “an Al-Haq member” and noted that Al-Haq is “a FIDH member organization,” while also tagging the Ramallah-based organization’s X account.
- Of note, Al-Haq Europe does not list Al-Haq among “partners” that are “committed to similar ideals.” (Two other main Palestinian NGOs linked to the PFLP network – Al Mezan and PCHR – are listed.)
Ties between Al-Haq Europe’s board members and Al-Haq
- Ghassan Abdulah – He was described as an Al-Haq “board member” in an October 2023 article, and identified “Deputy Chairman of the Al-Haq board” in a November 2019 Al-Haq Facebook post. Several sources show that Abdullah was Al-Haq’s treasurer until 2014 at least.
- Asem Khalil – According to a February 2020 CV, Khalil has served as a member of Al-Haq’s general assembly since 2015.
- Maha Abdallah – According to her Linkedin account, Abdallah worked as Al-Haq Senior Legal Researcher and Advocacy Officer in 2014-2020.
- Rula Shadeed – According to her LinkedIn account, Shaheed worked as Al-Haq Head of Monitoring and Documentation in 2020-2023. In June 2023, she left her position in Al-Haq Europe as Delegate for Daily Management.
PFLP-Link Al-Haq General Director in the shadow of Al-Haq Europe?
Al-Haq General-Director Shawan Jabarin attended an October 2024, Al-Haq Europe fundraising gala at the Dorchester Hotel in London, which reportedly secured over £630,000 of donations.

Source: Voices of Palestine #2
Husam S. Zomlot, the Head of the Palestinian Mission to the United Kingdom, participated in the event and addressed the attendees. He declared: “I had the privilege myself to work with Al-Haq throughout the years and I remember very well how much such solid institution has been a bedrock for defending Palestinian rights. And I am so proud and honored to call Shawan Jabarin my brother, and my friend the director of Al-Haq who is with us today.”
Additionally, Al-Haq’s legal adviser Ahmed Abofoul was a “special guest” of the fundraising event.
The notorious antisemitic Roger Waters (formerly Pink Floyd) performed during the Gala and thanked the public for “supporting Al-Haq.”
Annex – PFLP Ties of Shawan Jabarin, Al-Haq’s General Director
- In 2017, Al-Haq General director Shawan Jabarin participated in a panel discussion on “The requirement for supporting and the success of the national [Palestinian internal] reconciliation.” The panels included multiple representatives of Palestinian terror groups, such as PFLP Political Bureau member Kayed Al- Ghoul, PIJ Political Bureau member Khaled Al-Batsh, and Hamas Political Bureau head in Gaza Yehya Al-Sinwar. Shawan Jabarin addressed the panel (by video) with Yehya Al-Sinwar.

Al-Haq director Shawan Jabarin remotely addressing a panel with Hamas leader Yehiya Sinwar
- In May 2019, Shawan Jabarin attended a memorial event organized by the PFLP. It centered on PFLP political bureau member Rabah Muhanna, who, according to information posted by the PFLP, “contributed to the establishment” of several PFLP-affiliated NGOs. The hall was decorated with PFLP paraphernalia.

Shawan Jabarin attending a memorial event organized by the PFLP (2019)
- In February 2019, Jabarin participated in an event hosted by the PFLP in memory of “comrade fighter” Maher Al-Yamani. Al- Yamani was a PFLP “founder,” a “member of the Central Committee and one of its most prominent military commanders,” and “coordinated special operations…in particular the operation against an aircraft of the Israeli company El Al in July 1968 in Greece.”
- According to multiple Arabic-language media sources, Shawan Jabarin represented the PFLP at a December 2011 meeting of the Follow-Up Committee for Issues of Public Liberties and Trust Building. This body served as a reconciliatory body between Hamas, Fatah, PIJ, the PFLP, and other Palestinian factions. After Jabarin was identified by his PFLP affiliation, he reportedly announced his resignation from the committee, complaining that “classifying committee members according to their parties does not benefit its work, but complicates it and intensifies its problems. This [refraining from classifying party affiliation] is what I asked from the committee as its member.”
- In 2009, Jabarin was again prohibited by the Israeli authorities from traveling abroad. Jabarin appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court, which again rejected his appeal, stating, “We found that the material pointing to the petitioner’s involvement in the activity of terrorist entities is concrete and reliable material.”
- In 2008, the Israeli Supreme Court noted that Jabarin is “among the senior activists of the Popular Front terrorist organization.”
- In 2007, in rejecting Jabarin’s appeal against a travel ban, the Israeli Supreme Court concluded that “the current petitioner is apparently acting as a manner of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, acting some of the time as the CEO of a human rights organization, and at other times as an activist in a terror organization which has not shied away from murder and attempted murder, which have nothing to do with rights…”
- A 1994 Israeli statement to the UN notes that he “had not discontinued his terrorist involvement and maintains his position in the leadership of the PFLP.”
- In 1985, Shawan Jabarin was convicted by Israel for recruiting and arranging training for members for the PFLP.
Footnotes
- Al-Haq Europe is headed by European anti-Israel NGO activists.
Nadia El-Farkh – El Farkh serves as Al-Haq Europe’s president. She is also administrator for European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine (ECCP) and secretary general (until 2021 at least) for Association Belgo-Palestinienne (ABP).
Willem Staes – Staes serves as Al-Haq Europe’s vice president. He also serves from 2016 as 11.11.11’s Policy and Partnership Adviser Middle East. He previously served (2015-2019) as Pax Christi Vlaanderen’s Policy Officer Security and Disarmament and Broederljik Delen’s Policy Officer Middle East (ad interim – January 2015).
Nathalie Janne D’Othée – Janne D’Othée serves as Al-Haq Europe’s treasurer. Since 2012, she has worked as CNCD-11.11.11’s Research and Advocacy Officer. Previously she was ABP’s Communications Officer (2010-2015).
- Throughout this document, we identify the Belgian-registered NGO as “Al-Haq Europe” and the Ramallah-based organization as “Al-Haq”