Who is Farouk al Soukori from The Haj and what is their importance?

Farouk is the older brother of Ibrahim and the uncle of Ishmael. Farouk and Ibrahim own a coffeehouse. As the situation between the Arabs and the Jews worsens, Farouk tricks his brother into evacuating Tabah. Farouk gives Ibrahim a bank passbook knowing that the account has been closed and tells him that he will follow with a truck full of supplies. He never arrives, having made his own deal and stays behind taking over Tabah.