Women's Groups Report Six Harassment Claims Against Jaafar Farah

Two feminist organizations, "Women Against Violence" and "Al-Sawar - Arab Feminist Movement," announced on Wednesday that they possess six documented testimonies alleging sexual harassment, assault, and abuse of power by Jaafar Farah, director of the "Masaawa" (Equality) Center and a candidate for the Hadash party. The groups stated their role is to listen to, protect, and support women, and to relay testimonies to authorities, not to judge or investigate.

The statement was issued as part of the campaign "#Harasser_Resign," following public debate over the allegations against Farah. The organizations emphasized the importance of the Hadash party addressing the claims seriously and called for institutionalized, independent mechanisms to handle harassment cases, irrespective of an individual's status.

The campaign, they clarified, is not aimed at a specific person but at highlighting the broader issue of harassment and the exploitation of power within institutions, and the lack of protective measures. They noted that between 15% and 20% of reported harassment cases involve individuals in positions of power, a statistic they deem significant and requiring a firm response.

Al-Sawar stated it has received testimonies related to Farah since 2019, with some published then and others kept confidential. The organizations met with Hadash leadership on June 24, 2026, to present anonymized examples of the testimonies. Al-Sawar had previously approached the Masaawa Center in 2019 about some allegations but received no response.

Both groups stressed that the age of the alleged incidents does not diminish the need for investigation, describing the reported behavior as patterned rather than isolated. They reiterated their commitment to supporting women, transferring testimonies, and demanding serious, professional handling of complaints, while rejecting attempts to discredit their work or silence the discussion.

They called for independent complaint mechanisms, protection for complainants, professional investigations, clear prevention policies, accountability for those found responsible regardless of their position, and fair procedures for all parties. These demands, they stated, should become standard practice in all institutions.