Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Aug 16: Newly surfaced footage on social media shows far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir mocking prominent Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti inside his high-security cell. The Palestinian Authority condemned the video, with Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh calling it “the epitome of psychological, moral and physical terrorism.”
Barghouti, 66, is serving five life sentences following his 2002 conviction for involvement in attacks that killed five Israeli civilians. The video, apparently filmed inside his southern Israeli prison, marks the first public sighting of him in years.
In the footage, Ben Gvir says: “You will not win. He who messes with the people of Israel, he who will murder our children, he who will murder our women, we will wipe him out. You need to know this, throughout history,” while Barghouti tries to interject.
The video initially circulated in Gvir-supporting messaging groups before being posted on his X account. The minister later stated he would “repeat it again and again without apologising,” according to the BBC.
Palestinian prisoner rights groups report that Barghouti has been in solitary confinement since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Last year, allegations surfaced of him being “brutally assaulted” in his cell, which the Israeli prison service denied.
Barghouti’s cousin, Mustafa Barghouti, told CNN, “You can’t humiliate a person who is weakened by being put in a jail and in a cell. In reality, he humiliated the Israeli government by this behavior.”
Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader, has been cited in potential prisoner exchanges for hostages held by Hamas, though Israel is unlikely to agree to his release. His wife, Fadwa Al Barghouti, said she barely recognized him, posting on social media: “They are still pursuing you and following you even in the solitary confinement cell where you’ve been living for two years. The struggle against the occupation continues, and the chains are still on your hands.”
Ben Gvir, known for provocative remarks, has previously served a prison term for anti-Arab incitement. The reason behind sharing this video remains unclear.