Hawatmeh hails from a Jordanian tribe and a Greek Catholic Christian background. He has been General Secretary of the Marxist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) since its formation in a 1969 split from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); of which he was also a founder. He was active as a left-wing leader in the Arab Nationalist Movement (ANM); which preceded the PFLP.

Hawatmeh opposed the 1993 Oslo Accords; but became more conciliatory in the late 1990s. In 1999 he agreed to meet with Yassir Arafat and even shook hands with the Israeli President; Ezer Weizmann; at the funeral of King Hussein of Jordan.

In 2007 Israel indicated it would allow him to travel to the West Bank for the first time since 1967; in order to participate in a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Pictures From History Pictures From History