JERUSALEM – In response to a query from the NGO Monitor research institute, Europol confirmed that it has been “in contact” with the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), whose chair, Dyab Abou Jahjah, has extensive Hezbollah militant ties. Per the New York Times, he claimed to have “joined the Hezbollah resistance against Israel” and received “military training, I’m still very proud of that.” Hezbollah’s military wing is designated as a terrorist organization by the EU, of which Europol is a part.
In an Oct 25, 2025, presentation, HRF’s US Representative Jake Romm stated: “recently, … we have begun working closely with Europol to assist with war crimes investigations across the European Union.” NGO Monitor asked Europol to confirm whether it is indeed “working closely” with HRF, and if so, on which cases. It asked further whether Europol was aware of HRF’s links to Hezbollah, its political agenda of anti-Israel legal warfare.
Europol’s response to NGO Monitor is the first on-record confirmation of its relationship with HRF, though the group did not address the issue of HRF’s terror ties. They claimed to take “necessary due diligence steps,” but did not elaborate on those steps, or whether HRF’s terror ties and lawfare were addressed.
“HRF’s terror links are well-documented and longstanding,” said Olga Deutsch, Vice President of NGO Monitor. “Its chairman is linked to Hezbollah’s funding network, and has praised the 9/11 attacks and trafficked in Holocaust denial. Western governments and law enforcement agencies should be investigating HRF, not allowing it to peddle vicious anti-Israel campaigns in their respective countries. It is long past time for EU member states to stand firm against activist NGOs looking to usurp and undermine their legal systems from within.”
Notably, this is not the first example of HRF using European legal frameworks to target Israelis. Earlier this month, it was reported to have orchestrated a UK police ban on Israeli fans from an Aston Villa football match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
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