Of all the senior members of the Palestinian Authority, Jibril Rajoub, who serves as head of the Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs as well as the president of the Palestinian Football Association, has been singled out by Israel as enemy No. 1. Ever since his appointment to this position five years ago, Rajoub has launched a relentless political struggle against Israel at international sporting institutions. In the eyes of senior Israeli defense and political officials, he has moved from being a dialogue partner to being a dangerous provocateur.

In the past, Rajoub was a welcome guest in Israel. He would hold working meetings with defense ministers, senior Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet officials. He was also the bearer of a VIP card that awarded him free passage at border crossings. He was invited to peace-related conferences and conventions and was a favorite interviewee with the Israeli media since he was considered to be the best and most authoritative Palestinian public diplomacy representative. “With him we could do business, reach arrangements, understandings and cooperation. With him we were able to resolve conflicts with the Palestinians on a variety of issues in the best possible way. He always came up with creative solutions and had proven ability to deliver results,” a former Israeli security official, who used to be in daily touch with Rajoub when the latter served as chief of the Palestinian Preventive Security (he was appointed at 1994), told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

His acquaintances in Israel are divided over the question whether bombing his headquarters in Beitunia, a small town in the West Bank west of Ramallah, during the second intifada in 2000 is what brought about the change in his mindset or whether this is an issue of internal strategic political struggles ahead of the succession battle over PA leadership in the post-President Mahmoud Abbas era.

Either way, Rajoub, who was a member of the Geneva Initiative delegation, has become persona non grata in Israel. His VIP card has been revoked. A highly charged struggle rife with rancor and suspicions ensued between him and Israel’s political establishment. The climax, of course, was the FIFA Congress in Switzerland in May, when Rajoub sought to have Israel expelled from football’s governing body, charging that it was mistreating Palestinians athletes and deliberately hurting sporting events and activities in the PA. Shortly before the vote, he was forced to pull his proposal and agree to a compromise that was orchestrated by Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s president, who has since resigned. According to the proposal, a body supervising the affairs between the two sides will be set up.