The far-right A Palestinian leader in jail receives a surprise visit from an Israeli minister

Israel’s far-right national security minister visited prominent Palestinian Marwan Barghouti in jail and told him, “you will not win,” a video showed on Friday. This occurred a day after another hardline cabinet member vowed to “bury” the idea of a Palestinian state.

Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted the video on his X account, also informing Barghouti—a potential unifying figure among Palestinians who has been imprisoned for over twenty years—that anyone who poses a threat to Israel would face elimination.

Earlier this week, a prison visit occurred, but it gained public attention after ultra-nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Thursday that work would commence on a settlement that would divide the West Bank and further isolate it from East Jerusalem, which Palestinians seek as the capital for a future state.

This situation ultimately puts to rest the notion of a Palestinian state. “There is simply nothing to recognize and no one to recognize,” Smotrich stated during a news conference on Thursday.

In the video clip on Ben-Gvir’s X, which depicted Barghouti appearing thin and weak, the minister stated: “You will not win.” Anyone who harms the people of Israel, anyone who takes the lives of our children, anyone who harms our women – we will eliminate them.

“You must understand this, throughout history,” he stated in the 13-second clip that omitted Barghouti’s response.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not provide a response to a request for comment, and a spokesperson for Ben-Gvir also chose not to comment.

The Palestinian Authority characterized Ben-Gvir’s comments as a “direct threat” to the 66-year-old. Barghouti is a prominent figure within the Fatah movement, which governs the authority that maintains limited civic control in certain areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a strong condemnation regarding the storming of the solitary confinement sections of Rimon Prison by extremist Minister Ben-Gvir, along with his direct threat to brother and leader Marwan Barghouti, as stated in an official statement.

In 2004, Barghouti received a sentence of five life terms and an additional 40 years in prison after being found guilty by a court of planning ambushes and suicide attacks against Israelis during the second Palestinian Intifada, also known as the uprising.

Israel views Bargouthi as a significant threat due to his involvement in the uprising, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,000 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians. He has consistently refuted the allegations made against him.

CONDEMNATION

His wife spoke to him in a post on Facebook. “They continue to chase you and pursue you, Marwan, even in the solitary cell where you’ve been living for two years,” she remarked about the visit.

Barghouti’s supporters argue that he stands out as a leading candidate to eventually take over from 89-year-old Mahmoud Abbas as the Palestinian president, likening him to a figure akin to Nelson Mandela, capable of energizing and unifying their fractured political scene.

A poll conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, released on May 6, indicated that he would obtain 50% of the vote with an anticipated turnout of 64% in a three-way presidential contest against Abbas and former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.

The last elections for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority took place in 2005.

The majority of global powers endorse the concept of a two-state solution to the long-standing Israel-Palestinian conflict, envisioning an independent Palestinian state that includes the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem coexisting with Israel.

The most recent round of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians collapsed over ten years ago, with Palestinians asserting that the ongoing expansion of settlements is undermining the feasibility of a future state by dividing the territory they aspire to claim.

The possibility of a two-state solution has diminished further following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the Gaza war.

Hamas claims to be advocating for a Palestinian state, yet it does not acknowledge Israel, and its founding charter advocates for the elimination of Israel. Meanwhile, Israel is currently governed by its most far-right administration in history, and the leadership in the West Bank is viewed as discredited by Palestinians due to its inability to stop settlement expansion.

The United Nations has declared the settlements illegal, a stance that Israel contests. Smotrich’s announcement on Thursday elicited widespread international condemnation.

On Friday, residents of the West Bank village of Atara reported that Israeli settlers launched an attack on their community, setting fire to three cars and leaving threatening graffiti on a wall. The Israeli military stated that it was investigating the incident.