Zaher Jabareen
Zaher Jabareen (زاهر جبارين), born in the West Bank town of Salfit, was elected to Hamas‘s Politburo in 2021 and is a prominent member of the group’s armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. In January 2024, Jabareen succeeded Saleh al-Arouri as Hamas’s leader for the West Bank. In addition, he is also reportedly responsible for the ‘prisoners file’ and relations with Iran’s IRGC.
According to Israeli officials, Jabarin is reportedly an expert in preparing explosive devices and explosive belts for suicide attacks. He led armed attacks against Israeli targets during the 1990s before his arrest by Israeli authorities in 1993. Following his release as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, he was exiled to Syria. He is currently based in the Burj al-Shemali refugee camp in Lebanon. In December 2021, he was reportedly injured in a shooting by Fatah gunmen.