Marwan Barghouti Beaten Unconscious by Israeli Prison Guards

Oct. 19—The 66-year-old, imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti was beaten unconscious while he was being transferred from Israel’s Ganot Prison to the Megiddo Prison Sept. 14, according to five Palestinian detainees, who were released and deported to Egypt Oct. 13, as part of the ceasefire negotiations.

Barghouti, by far the most popular Palestinian leader and the leader of Fatah, was on the list of prisoners to be released in exchange for the Hamas held hostages, was reportedly taken off that list by the Netanyahu government. However, other sources reported that Hamas also agreed that Barghouti not be released.

In August, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Barghouti in prison, where he showed Barghouti a photo of an electric chair, and told Barghouti that he deserved to be executed. Ben-Gvir released a statement Oct. 15 denying any connection to the brutal beating but declared that he was “proud that [Barghouti’s] situation has changed” and that “play time is over.”

Barghouti’s son, Arab Barghouti, told reporters that the family feared for Marwan Barghouti’s life. He declared: “What we know is that, while they were transferring my father, they stopped along the way, and eight security guards within the prison authority, that worked for the prison authority, started beating my father up in different ways, by kicking him, by [throwing] him on the ground, by punching him, focusing on the head area, chest area, and legs as well. The released detainees say that when he came to Megiddo he could barely walk for days.” Marwan Barghouti has been held in solitary confinement for two years; his son added that his father has been severely beaten at least four times during that two-year period.

Arab Barghouti continued: “My father represents the voice of reason. He is the most popular Palestinian leader, but at the same time, he has a political vision that is accepted by the international community that can contribute to the stability of the region, which is a two-state solution. He’s been a vocal supporter of the two-state solution for more than three decades. I think the fact that the Israeli government insisted that he’s not part of the deal is a clear declaration that they’re not looking for a credible, legitimate Palestinian leader. They want us to stay divided.”