Walid Shoebat is a Palestinian-American (also identified as Lebanese-American) author, speaker, activist, and self-described former member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) who claims to have participated in terrorist activities during his youth, including an alleged 1979 firebombing of an Israeli bank in Bethlehem. Born in the West Bank around 1960 to a Palestinian father and an American mother, he states he was raised Muslim, witnessed the 1967 Six-Day War as a child in Jericho, became radicalized, joined the PLO, and was imprisoned for three weeks in Jerusalem for his involvement. He asserts that he converted to Evangelical Christianity in 1994 after moving to the United States, renounced Islam, and now works as a Christian evangelist, vocal critic of radical Islam, and anti-Islamism speaker, advocating strongly for Israel. Shoebat has authored books such as 'Why I Love Jesus' and 'Why We Want to Kill Christians,' and delivers paid lectures on the dangers of Islamism to churches, universities, and security conferences, collaborating with conservative groups on counter-extremism lectures and media. He is the founder of Rescue Christians Ministries and founded the Walid Shoebat Foundation, where he formerly served as the primary public face.

His narrative has been featured in Clarion Project documentaries and media appearances, and he collaborates with figures like Raphael Shore. However, his claims have faced significant scrutiny and controversy. A 2011 CNN investigation, including interviews with Israeli officials and Shoebat's relatives, found no evidence supporting his terrorist history, such as the bank attack or PLO membership; records showed no such incident in 1979, and family members, including a relative named Kamal Younis, denied his biography, suggesting it was fabricated. Critics, including outlets like RationalWiki and Powerbase, have labeled him a fraud who profits from unsubstantiated stories, exaggerating or inventing his past to secure speaking fees and homeland security contracts. Despite this, Shoebat maintains his narrative on his website and in media appearances, positioning himself as an expert on Islamic terrorism. He remains an influential figure in evangelical, conservative anti-Islamist, and Christian Zionist networks, though his activities have drawn condemnation for promoting Islamophobia, with accusations of hate speech and misinformation.