Zaher Jabarin: Meet the "Hamas CEO" who allegedly produced the money to attack Israel

By richardbrown // 2024-01-08

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Zaher Jabarin's journey from running a Hamas cell in the 1980s to becoming a key player in managing the group's extensive financial operations is marked by a complex evolution. Born in the 1960s, the 55-year-old militant has navigated the intricate landscape of funding terrorism and guerrilla warfare. In his earlier years, he reportedly borrowed funds from his mother to procure weapons for Hamas. Currently, Jabarin holds a pivotal role in overseeing the group's financial dealings with its primary benefactor, Iran. He not only manages the flow of cash from Tehran to the Gaza Strip but also administers a diverse portfolio of companies that contribute significantly to Hamas' annual income. (Related: Hamas thanks Iran for providing "weapons, money and other equipment" to attack Israel.) Additionally, he operates a network of private donors and businessmen who invest on behalf of the Islamist group. Jabarin's influence on Hamas finances is deemed so substantial that both current and former U.S. and Israeli security officials believe he played a crucial role in enabling the group to finance weapons and pay the wages of fighters involved in the October 7 attacks. "Jabarin played a huge role because he handles all of Hamas finance outside Gaza," said Uzi Shaya, a former Israeli security official who has researched illicit finance. "Jabarin is the CEO of Hamas."

His close association with recently assassinated Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri further underscores Jabarin's prominence in the group's hierarchy. Both were instrumental in founding Hamas' military wing in the West Bank and maintained strong ties with Iran.

The financial resilience of Hamas, despite enduring Western sanctions, is exemplified by Jabarin's ability to navigate and utilize financial systems in various countries. Over the years, he has established companies and channeled funds into Gaza through networks in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and more recently, Turkey.

Jabarin works his magic in Istanbul

The U.S. and Israel have struggled to disrupt the financial flows supporting Hamas. Jabarin's current base of operations is in Istanbul. U.S. sanctions have targeted Hamas officials and related companies operating in Turkey, yet the group's financial activities persist. Jabarin himself maintains a dual narrative. While he acknowledges his role within Hamas as part of the political party, he denies direct involvement in fundraising activities. He asserts that Israel attempts to blur the lines between Hamas, the political entity, and the military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Under Jabarin's management, the financial hub of Hamas is situated in a building with dark glass windows in Istanbul. The group holds stakes in various companies, including shares in a real estate firm listed on Turkey's stock exchange. In an interview, Jabarin expressed that receiving funds for Hamas is considered an honor. However, he firmly denies personal involvement in fundraising, categorizing such claims as accusations rather than facts. Jabarin emphasizes his current role as part of Hamas, the political party, distancing himself from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the organization's military wing. He asserts that Hamas has diplomatic relationships with several countries, including Iran, Russia, Algeria, Turkey, and others. Addressing Israel's perspective, Jabarin accuses them of attempting to conflate separate entities, stating that the military wing, Al-Qassam, has its distinct ties, separate from the political aspect of Hamas. Turkey, where Jabarin operates, has taken a distinct stance, refusing to consider Hamas a terrorist organization and differentiating between its political and military wings. Despite concerns about potential misuse of its financial system, Turkey maintains that legitimate Turkish businesses do not finance Hamas' military operations. As the complexities surrounding Jabarin's involvement continue to unfold, the Turkish government, when approached for comment, remained unresponsive. Watch this video about Israel assassinating Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Lebanon. This video is from from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.

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Jabarin works his magic in Istanbul

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