Ashraf Dabbour family urges Lebanon not to extradite him

The family of former Palestinian ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour urged Lebanese authorities on Monday not to extradite him to Ramallah over corruption allegations, saying the case should be handled in Lebanon.

Lebanon's public prosecutor ordered Dabbour's arrest last week after questioning him based on a Palestinian Authority warrant over corruption and embezzlement during his tenure, a judicial official told AFP at the time. Dabbour was ambassador from 2012 to 2025.

Another judicial official said Monday that the judiciary had recommended in a letter to the justice ministry that Dabbour be extradited because the case involves “Palestinian funds”. The request must be signed by Lebanon's justice minister, president and prime minister before security forces can hand him over.

Dabbour's daughter Israa said the family was not asking for him to be protected from the judiciary or for charges to be dropped. She asked why he should be moved from the country where he lived and where the alleged crimes took place.

She said Dabbour was in a critical health condition and in intensive care, and appealed to Lebanon to provide him with necessary care.

Dabbour has repeatedly denied the accusations on social media and accused Yasser Abbas, son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, of leading a campaign against him. Israa Dabbour said the case included political accusations aimed at settling personal scores, without elaborating.

Lebanon's National Human Rights Commission asked the cabinet last week to refrain from approving the extradition, citing what it called reliable information that raised serious reasons to believe Dabbour risked torture, ill-treatment or arbitrary detention. It also cited possible legal obstacles due to the lack of an effective extradition treaty between Lebanon and the State of Palestine.