Arab Barghouti Speaks Out: Fears for His Father’s Life Amid Reports of Abuse in Israeli Prison
In a compelling interview with Al Jazeera, Arab Barghouti, the son of prominent Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti, expressed deep concern for his father’s safety in Israeli custody. This concern comes on the heels of alarming reports alleging that Israeli prison guards assaulted Marwan Barghouti last month.
From his home in Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank, Arab Barghouti stated, “We do fear for my father’s life.” The family revealed that they have received testimonies from recently released Palestinian detainees, who reported witnessing the abuse during Marwan’s transfer between Israeli prisons in mid-September.
Arab Barghouti emphasized that this incident marks the fourth assault on his father since the onset of Israel’s military actions in Gaza in October 2023. He accused Israeli authorities of deliberately targeting his father due to his role as a unifying figure among Palestinians. “They see him as a danger because of his ability to bring Palestinians together,” Arab stated.
Marwan Barghouti is a significant figure in the Fatah political faction, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank through the Palestinian Authority (PA). He has been imprisoned since the early 2000s, serving five life sentences along with an additional 40 years on charges of murder and attempted murder, which he has consistently denied.
A May poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research revealed that Marwan Barghouti is regarded as the most popular Palestinian leader, surpassing even Hamas official Khaled Meshaal and PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Despite calls from the Palestinian community for his release during the recent Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Israeli authorities refused to grant his freedom. Instead, they released 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, many of whom were exiled abroad, while also freeing approximately 1,700 detainees who were transferred to Israeli facilities during the conflict.
Recently released prisoner Mohammad al-Ardah shared with Al Jazeera Arabic that Israeli forces conduct “barbaric” weekly raids in prisons, subjecting Palestinian detainees to severe beatings. He reported that Marwan Barghouti had sustained injuries, including broken ribs.
The Israeli authorities have denied the allegations of abuse. The Israel Prison Service claimed to operate “in accordance with the law, while ensuring the safety and health of all inmates.” However, Arab Barghouti dismissed these assurances, citing a video from August in which far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made threats against his father, showing him an electric chair and declaring, “This is your fate.” Arab remarked, “If that’s not a threat to his life, I don’t know what is.”
Arab Barghouti also highlighted the family’s repeated attempts to secure visits from international lawyers and representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross, all of which have been denied by Israeli authorities. “They see him as a danger because he wants to bring stability and end the cycle of violence,” Arab explained. He believes that Marwan Barghouti represents a unifying Palestinian vision recognized by both the Palestinian community and the international community, adding, “They don’t want a partner for peace.”
As the situation unfolds, the Barghouti family continues to advocate for their father’s rights and well-being, shining a light on the challenges faced by Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli detention.
