Born in Al-Thahiriyyah, near Hebron, in 1951, Harb received a BA in English language and literature from the University of Jordan in 1974, a Masters in 1979 in English literature from Roosevelt University, USA, and a PhD in 1986 in comparative and English literature from the University of Iowa, USA. He worked as an Associate Professor of English literature at Birzeit University in Ramallah, Palestine; then served as Dean at the university’s Faculty of Arts. He authored many articles, essays, and studies in literature, culture and politics. He is a former Commissioner General for the Independent Commission of Human Rights (ICHR).