Marwan Barghouti, member of Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement, is a controversial hero and the elephant in the room in today’s ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The 66-year-old leader has quickly become a popular figure in the West Bank and Gaza. Since 2002 he has been held in Ganot prison. His current detention is the result of his 2014 conviction for planning the execution of several assassinations carried out by the IDF during the second Intifada. Evidence is surfacing that Barghouti has been in solitary confinement for years. This extended confinement has brought alarming questions surrounding his health and safety.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s new Minister of National Security, shared this video. This was the first time in 10 years that the public got to see pictures of Barghouti. The video was so alarming that it showed a gaunt and visibly weakened Barghouti that it sent shockwaves through supporters of a free Palestine. His supporters hope that he will be the unifier of the fractious and often violent Palestinian factions. His release has become a central demand in the unstable ongoing hostage negotiations. Yet Israel has so far not even officially entertained the idea of his liberation.
As more widely chronicled in personal accounts, Barghouti’s imprisonment has come to symbolize the Palestinian struggle. It has spurred the much-needed discussion about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners to the fore. The union representing the inmates has said Israeli prison guards deliberately attacked Barghouti. The Israeli government has categorically denied all these allegations.
Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official, described Barghouti’s situation as “the epitome of psychological, moral and physical terrorism.” This unfortunate statement is symptomatic of the deep frustrations many Palestinians feel over the manner in which their leaders are held and criminalized while in Israeli custody.
The political climate around Barghouti is only made more complex by people’s comparisons of him to Nelson Mandela and other historical figures. He is widely perceived by many Palestinians as an effective leader with the ability to bring together competing factions. This combined capacity might be critical for enabling new peace talks. Despite this, the Israeli government continues to double down on its refusal to release Barghouti and free him from imprisonment.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, grabbed recent headlines for calling for the deaths of those who engage in violence against Israel. He stated, “You won’t win. Whoever messes with the nation of Israel, whoever murders our children and women, we will wipe them out.” These types of statements further highlight the charged context in which Barghouti’s trial is taking place – and the broader significance of his trial for Israeli-Palestinian relations.