Marwan Barghouti is Palestine’s most senior leader behind bars. Barghouti, a key figure in Fatah as its general secretary and the leader of the armed wing Tanzim, has been incarcerated since 2002. Presently serving five life sentences, there have been appeals from experts and retired Israeli soldiers advocating for his release.
As the Israel-Hamas war rages on in Gaza, many remain concerned about the future of the Palestinian people.
Considering this, some individuals are directing their attention to Marwan Barghouti, often referred to as the ‘Palestinian Mandela.’
But who is Barghouti? And why are some convinced he could bring peace to Gaza?
Let’s take a closer look:
Who is Marwan Barghouti?
According to The National, Barghouti is Palestine’s most senior leader in prison.
He was born on 6 June, 1959, in Ramallah’s Kibar village into the Barghouti clan.
Incidentally, that was the very year that Fatah – the organisation that seeks the liberation of Palestinians – came into existence.
Barghouti joined Fatah in 1974.
As per Haaretz, he was arrested for the first time at age 15 for protesting the Israeli occupation.
In prison, Barghouti began improving himself.
Not only did he learn English and Hebrew, but he also completed his education.
In 1983, Barghouti enrolled in Birzeit University and studied history and political science.
It was here he met his future wife Fadwa Ibrahim – a lawyer whom he wed in 1984.
Their nuptials had to be repeatedly postponed due to his repeated interrogations and arrests, as per Haaretz.
“In those years he lived between interrogation and arrest, an underground life,” Fadwa said. “The university was the core of national Palestinian agitation.”
In 1987, Barghouti established himself within Fatah and among the people by becoming a spearhead of the 1987 uprising – called the First Intifada.
As per Haaretz, an ex-senior Shin Bet official claimed Barghouti was involved in a murder of a settler during that uprising.
Moreover, the authorities decide to expel Barghouti and some Birzeit University leaders were to Jordan by the authorities in a ‘pre-emptive strike.’
Barghouti’s wife Fadwa would join him in Jordan – and they would shift between that country and Tunisia.
“He wasn’t by my side in any of the births of my four children,” Fadwa was quoted as saying by Haaretz.
Israel allowed Barghouti to return following the 1994 Oslo Accords.
Barghouti was in 1996 elected to the new Palestinian Legislative Council, as per The National.
Barghouti, who was secretary general of Fatah, also headed up the Tanzim, Fatah’s armed wing.
He played a big role in the Second Intifada which kicked off in September 2000.
He even wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post in January 2002 in which he lay claim to being one of the main leaders of the Palestinian movement.
Arrest and detention
Then, the order was given for his arrest – reportedly directly from then prime minister Ariel Sharon.
“I don’t want him liquidated – just arrest him,” then defence minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told the then Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Shaul Mofaz.
Yitzhak Gershon, the division commander who captured Barghouti, told Haaretz how it went down.
“I put him in the command car,” Gershon said. “I took out my canteen and gave him water. He was kind of flipped out. Very frightened. I said to him: Don’t worry. We will not do to you what you would have done to us.”
