April 20th 2024
Professor John Macdonald
Wikipedia says of him:
“Israeli authorities have called Barghouti a terrorist, accusing him of directing numerous attacks, including suicide bombings, against civilian and military targets alike.[4] Barghouti was arrested by Israeli Defence Forces in 2002 in Ramallah. He was tried and convicted on charges of murder, and sentenced to five life sentences. Marwan Barghouti refused to present a defense to the charges brought against him, maintaining throughout that the trial was illegal and illegitimate. Barghouti still exerts great influence in Fatah from within prison. With popularity reaching further than that, there has been some speculation whether he could be a unifying candidate in a bid to succeed Mahmud Abbas.”
Making no claim to be an expert in this field, I can, however, confidently state that Marwan Barghouti stands out among Palestinian prisoners. He seems to be one person many Palestinians and even some Israelis see as capable of leading Palestinians and Israelis to a peaceful co-existence. He has been in prison for over twenty years and long been an advocate for peace.
The Palestinian Nelson Mandela?
Not to be confused with Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian doctor, activist and politician, a distant relative, Barghouti is often compared to Nelson Mandela. Both are leaders of resistance movements, both have been accused of murder. Both resolutely called for peaceful, non-violent solutions and only endorsed violent resistance when the efforts at peaceful efforts failed. Both promoted study and education, for the general population and also for themselves. Marwan Barghouti ran study groups for prisoners.
April 19th 2024: The Irish Times:
Barghouti was sent to trial “for ‘terrorism’. Barghouti’s supporters say evidence was fabricated or obtained under torture. In 2004 he was sentenced to five life terms plus 40 years in prison“.