Wherever in the West Bank you find a wall smooth enough to paint a face, there will be a Marwan Barghouti, his fists cuffed but raised. The Palestinian politician has been imprisoned for more than 20 years, during which time he has headed any and all polls to lead a potential future Palestinian government.
One opinion study held in December 2024 puts him 40 percentage points ahead of the current president of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmud Abbas, also beating Hamas candidates, including the terrorist group’s former political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, killed by Israel in July 2024, six months after the probe.
In the last few daysaccording to one of his sons, Barghouti was violently beaten by Israeli guardsin the transfer from one prison to another. He became unconscious and was unable to walk for days.. Reports of violence, shared with “The Guardian”arrived via the prisoners who were with Barghouti in prison and who have now been released, a fate that is still far away for the famous political activist.
At 66 years old, Barghouti continues to represent, even with very little direct access to the people, the perspective of real change. It is seen as untouched by the corruption that has corroded the APas if I were immune to it. “He is very powerful in Palestinian society. His reputation as a clean leader, one of the few who did not come from outside, is very strong. Here we find that many of those who arrived from other countries to join the movement had other intentions, economic interests, and are corrupt”, explains to Expresso one of the best-known activists for the peaceful struggle in the West Bank, Issa Amro, most recent winner of the so-called “Nobel for peace alternative”, o Right Livelihood Award.