Palestine’s Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian has become the target of a racist smear campaign, driven by animosity toward her Armenian heritage, reports Jerusalemite-Armenian Kegham Balian on X.
Dr. Huthaifa Abdallah of the Muslim Brotherhood ignited outrage on social media when he mocked her name, exclaiming: “Imagine that the name of the so-called Palestinian Foreign Minister is: ‘Varsen Ohannes Vartan Aghabekian Shahin.’ Find even one Arab name in her four-part name and win ten thousand dollars!” This deeply offensive remark prompted condemnation from the Armenian diaspora and human rights advocates, who denounced it as emblematic of unacceptable ethnic intolerance.
Balian denounced the smear campaign, stating: “This smear comes amid Turkey–Qatar backing of the Brotherhood, which has long cooperated with jihadist terrorist groups like Al-Nusra and HTS. Given historical precedent, this campaign was likely initiated at Ankara’s behest.”
Born in Jordan in 1958, Varsen Ohannes Vartan Aghabekian Shahin pursued higher education in the United States, earning a master’s degree in nursing administration from Indiana University–Purdue University in 1983 and a PhD in educational policy and management from the University of Pittsburgh in 1988.
Returning to Palestine, she spent two decades at Al-Quds University (1988–2008), advancing from associate professor to Dean of the Faculty of Health Professions (1995–1998) and Dean of Graduate Studies (1998–2000). Beyond academia, she served in pivotal civic roles—including Commissioner-General of the Independent Commission for Human Rights (2016–2018), Executive Director of the Arab Capital of Culture program (2009), and leadership positions in institutional development across the president’s office and health ministries. Aghabekian is a founding member of presidential commissions for the restoration of the Church of the Nativity and church affairs, illustrating her advocacy for religious and ethnic minority heritage.
In March 2024, Aghabekian broke new ground as the first Armenian-descended person appointed to a ministerial post in the Palestinian government—Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. This role was later elevated to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in June 2025.
Since assuming office, she has been a steadfast voice on the international stage—urging recognition of Palestine by at least ten additional countries at the UN and condemning the politicization of aid during crises in Gaza. She has also appeared in global policy forums such as the World Economic Forum to advance diplomatic engagement.
