Who is Majed Faraj, the Palestinian spy chief?
Majed Faraj is a prominent Palestinian politician and leader within the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, more commonly known as Fatah, who has significantly influenced the Palestinian security landscape.
Born in 1963 in the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, his early years were marked by poverty and political activism.
Over the decades, he has held numerous roles within the Palestinian Authority (PA), eventually becoming its intelligence chief and one of President Mahmoud Abbas’ closest confidants.
His career has been shaped by his role in security coordination with Israel against resistance groups, fostering a strong relationship with successive Israeli governments and the United States.
However, his crackdown on Palestinian resistance groups has made him an unpopular figure among the Palestinian public.
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Early life and activism
Majed Faraj was born on 28 February 1963 in the Dheisheh refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. His family had been displaced from the village of Ras Abu Ammar near Jerusalem.
Raised in poverty after his mother’s death when he was just 13, Faraj worked various jobs to support his family, including working in a shell industry and a carpentry workshop.
As a teenager, Faraj joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) but later switched his allegiance to Fatah.
He was first arrested by Israeli forces before finishing secondary school.
This marked the beginning of a long series of imprisonments, including a total of six years in Israeli jails throughout his life.
In 1982, he co-founded the Fatah youth movement, known as the Shabiba, and joined the First Intifada.
He married fellow Fatah activist Amal Faraj in 1985.
His father, Ali Faraj, worked as a labourer and was killed by Israeli forces in 2002 during the invasion of Bethlehem. Ali was shot with around 10 bullets by Israeli soldiers when he went out to buy bread and milk during curfew amid the Israeli siege on the Church of the Nativity.
Political and security career
Following the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, Faraj began his career within the Palestinian security apparatus.
His role began in Bethlehem with the notorious Preventive Security Service and quickly expanded to positions of greater influence, including directorships in Dura and Hebron.
By 2006, he had risen to lead the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service.
Faraj’s security credentials were further solidified when Abbas appointed him to head the Palestinian General Intelligence Service (GIS) in 2009.
His leadership in the intelligence community was marked by his significant role in security coordination with Israel.
Faraj’s political influence grew as he became an essential player in Palestinian reconciliation efforts, particularly those involving Hamas.
He participated in talks with Hamas in Cairo between 2009 and 2011.
On the international stage, Faraj gained recognition from both the United States and Israel due to his role in security coordination. This position earned him political legitimacy from these actors.
Plots
Despite his prominence, Faraj’s career has been controversial.
He has been accused of human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and torture, by the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK.
In 2013, he faced accusations from Hamas of collaborating with the Egyptian government to incite public opinion against the group, adding to the fractious relationship between Hamas and the PA.
In a rare 2016 interview with Defense News, Faraj defended the security cooperation between the PA and Israel.
He flaunted how Palestinian security forces at the time had thwarted 200 potential attacks against Israel, arrested over 100 Palestinians and confiscated weapons.
During Israel's war on Gaza, Hamas said it foiled an attempt by the PA to send security officers into northern Gaza under the guise of securing aid trucks - an operation it said was overseen by Faraj. The PA denied the accusation.
Last year, Middle East Eye revealed that Faraj lobbied Gaza ceasefire mediators against the release of Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti in any potential prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Amid Israel and the United States' desperate search for alternatives to Hamas in Gaza, Israel reportedly considered Faraj as a potential figure to manage the strip after the war.
These claims, alongside his controversial role in security coordination with Israel, have made Faraj a deeply divisive figure in Palestinian politics.
Political aspirations
In January 2023, Abbas amended Palestinian law to allow Faraj to remain as head of the GIS indefinitely.
The change also granted him the rank of minister, further solidifying his power within the PA.
Many view this legal modification as a strategic move by Abbas to ensure Faraj’s continued prominence in a leadership vacuum.
The issue of succession within Palestinian politics plays a crucial role in shaping Faraj's future.
While he enjoys significant backing from both Israel and the United States, competition for leadership within Fatah is fierce, with figures such as Hussein al-Sheikh, Jibril Rajoub and Marwan Barghouti also considered potential successors to Abbas.
Faraj’s involvement in critical political and security decisions, such as his role in negotiations with Israel and his ongoing collaboration with the CIA, places him at the centre of the ongoing struggle for Palestinian political dominance.
His ability to navigate these complex political dynamics will depend not only on his international relationships but also on his capacity to secure internal political support.
As his influence grows, so too does the scrutiny surrounding his actions - both within Palestine and across the broader Middle East.
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