Founded in 1979, Al-Haq monitors and documents human rights violations committed by parties to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, issuing reports on its findings and producing detailed legal studies.

[4] During its early years, Al-Haq was largely engaged in analyzing Israel's legal status as an occupying power in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as well as the structures put in place by its governmental authorities.

[6] Al-Haq's 2009 report on its findings in relation to the 2008/09 Gaza War stated that the Israeli offensive had led to 1,409 Palestinian deaths including 1,172 civilians, of which 342 were children; and over 5,000 wounded.

[9] In 1996, Al-Haq charged Palestinian police tortured to death Mahmoud al-Jamil—a member of the Fatah Hawks organisation who was imprisoned in Nablus jail in the West Bank.

PLO spokesman Bassam Abu Sharif said that the procedure is that the suspect is warned three times to change his or her ways before taken to trial and given a chance to repent.

[17] While conscious of internal human rights abuses within the Palestinian community, Al-Haq views Israeli presence in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as "the root of the conflict in our region.

[24] The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemned an attack launched by members of the General Intelligence Service (GIS) on al-Haq staffers in Ramallah.

The staffers were documenting GIS's attempts to stop an assembly organized to protest against the Palestinian National Authority's decision to participate in direct negotiations with Israel.

[27] In February 2009, Al-Haq, with solicitor Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), filed a claim for judicial review before the High Court of England and Wales[28] challenging the British government over its failure to fulfill its alleged "obligations under international law with respect to Israel's activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory".

The paper is a legal analysis of Israel's claim to self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter as a justification for its military operation in the Gaza Strip.

Shin Bet claims Jabarin is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and that "his travel may endanger regional security" but refuses to disclose evidence on the grounds that it is classified.

Israeli and international human rights organizations sent letters of protest to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, asking that Jabarin be allowed to travel and accept the prize.

In 2009, Israel's Shin Bet prevented Jabarin, from travelling to the Netherlands to accept the Geuzenpenning, a prestigious Dutch human rights prize presented by the Geuzen Resistance 1940-1945 Foundation jointly awarded to Al-Haq and B'Tselem.

[16][36] The Supreme Court of Israel was asked to review Jabarin's petition to reverse the travel ban which the petitioners stated "suggests he is being targeted for securing human rights for his people".

[37] In a previous case in 2008, the Supreme Court reviewed classified intelligence material and concluded that Jabarin was also a senior activists of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

[49] On 18 August, Israeli forces raided the headquarters of the six along with the Union of Health Work Committees (outlawed in 2020) in Ramallah and al-Bireh, removed computers and equipment and ordered their closure.

Michael Sfard, lawyer for Al-Haq, said "Let's recall that this is all happening after the government failed to convince the European countries who one by one determined that there is no basis for the accusations against the organizations.