Amid the aftermath of the Israel-Iran conflict and renewed focus on the fate of Gaza and Hamas, one figure continues to work steadily to promote a hostile Palestinian narrative in key centers of global influence, including the United States, the Arab world and Orthodox Christian institutions.
Bishara Bahbah, a Jerusalemite whose Israeli residency was revoked in 2009 by the Interior Ministry, is a former academic, journalist and a well-known media personality in the Palestinian arena. Over the past decade, as a Palestinian American political activist, he has become an unofficial yet influential actor, particularly after Donald Trump’s reelection to the presidency in 2024.
Leftist values: Tactical shift to the right
For years, Bahbah was aligned with liberal American values and shared views with presidents such as Barack Obama and Joe Biden on issues of social justice and civil rights. His recent pivot toward Republican circles is not ideological, but pragmatic.
Bahbah views Trump’s Republican camp— and especially some of the MAGA players who are often antagonistic to pro-Israel institutions—as a tactical vehicle to promote the Palestinian nationalist agenda. The main item on his agenda and his declared reason for joining the Republicans was the hope that once he became president, Trump would force Israel into a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza.
Dangerous connections: From Ramallah to Washington
Following Trump’s return to power, Bahbah played a key role in initiating direct contacts between the Trump team and the Palestinian Authority leadership. Simultaneously, he maintained ties with well-known anti-Israel figures such as Archbishop Atallah Hanna of the Greek Orthodox Church in Sebastia, a cleric deeply involved in campaigns to delegitimize Israel.
He has also held political discussions with former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa and participated in a private meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman.
These regional, American and ecclesiastical connections position Bahbah as a seemingly “neutral intellectual,” but in truth, he operates as a determined propagandist working to erode Israel’s legitimacy in the West.
During Israel’s recent defensive operations in Gaza, Bahbah published inflammatory posts accusing Israel of “genocide” and branding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “baby killer.” These extreme allegations are not fringe: they are disseminated into conservative and religious American discourse, where Bahbah is cultivating a reputation as a “different kind of Palestinian voice.”
Following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran on June 24, the Palestinian Authority issued a statement praising the truce and demanding the lifting of the “siege” on Gaza.
In parallel, Bahbah had echoed similar messages in his social media posts, calling for an immediate ceasefire. Both he and the P.A. consistently refrain from mentioning Hamas or Palestinian terrorism, instead portraying Israel as the sole aggressor, even when it is acting in self-defense.
Bahbah as a regional and international propaganda agent
In conclusion, Bishara Bahbah is more than a former journalist. He is a political intermediary, a propagandist cloaked in humanitarian language, and a cognitive influencer embedded in sensitive spheres: between the Republican administration, Palestinian leadership and anti-Israel Christian institutions.
Israel must:
• Monitor and disseminate Bahbah’s radical and defamatory content;
• Expose his network of anti-Israel political and regional connections;
• Work to prevent or counter his continued access to and influence over Western decision-makers.