Editing Marwan Barghouti (section)

== Campaign for release and prisoner-swap negotiations ==
[[File:Kufr ad-Deek.protest.4.JPG|250px|thumb|A flag in support of Marwan Barghouti at a demonstration at [[Kafr ad-Dik]].]]
Fadwa begun campaigning for her husband’s release the day he was arrested.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web |date=2025-03-28 |title=زوجة البرغوثي: أبو مازن أكد أن إطلاقه أولوية |url=https://aawsat.com/home/article/77521 |access-date=2025-04-05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250328103628/https://aawsat.com/home/article/77521 |archive-date=2025-03-28}}</ref> The International Campaign to Free Marwan Barghouti and All Palestinian Prisoners was launched in 2013 from Nelson Mandela's former cell on Robben Island.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-18 |title=Why We Are on Hunger Strike in Israel's Prisons - The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/opinion/palestinian-hunger-strike-prisoners-call-for-justice.html?_r=0#selection-1067.0-1072.0 |access-date=2025-03-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170418182153/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/opinion/palestinian-hunger-strike-prisoners-call-for-justice.html?_r=0#selection-1067.0-1072.0 |archive-date=2017-04-18}}</ref> The campaign was launched by [[Fadwa Barghouti|Fadwa]] and [[Ahmed Kathrada]], who was jailed alongside Mandela at the [[Rivonia Trial]]. Barghouti has often drawn comparisons to Mandela from commentators inclined toward a resumption of the peace process.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name="r20091119">{{cite news|agency=Reuters|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129348.html|title=Marwan Barghouti: Peace talks with Israel have failed |newspaper=Haaretz|date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20091122075429/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129348.html |archive-date=22 November 2009}}</ref> For example, [[Reuters]] reported that some see Barghouti "as a Palestinian Nelson Mandela, the man who could galvanize a drifting and divided national movement if only he were set free by Israel." Many of his supporters have campaigned for his release. They include prominent Palestinian figures, members of European Parliament and the Israeli group [[Gush Shalom]]. According to ''The Jerusalem Post'', "[u]nlike many in the Western media, Palestinian journalists have rarely referred to Barghouti in these terms.<ref name=jp20091126>{{cite news|title=Analysis: Marwan Barghouti - A Nelson Mandela or a PR gimmick?|url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Analysis-Marwan-Barghouti-A-Nelson-Mandela-or-a-PR-gimmick|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|date=26 November 2009|first=Khaled |last=Abu Toameh|author-link= Khaled Abu Toameh |access-date=17 June 2024}}</ref> In August 2023, Barghouti's wife Fadwa held meetings with senior officials and diplomats across the world, including Jordanian Foreign Minister [[Ayman Safadi]], to advocate for her husband's release and position him as a successor to Abbas. According to [[Al-Sharq al-Awsat]], Barghouti would run in Palestinian presidential elections and maintained a polling lead over all other candidates.

In August 2023, [[Fadwa Barghouti|Fadwa]] held meetings with senior officials and diplomats across the world, including Jordanian Foreign Minister [[Ayman Safadi]], to advocate for her husband's release and position him as a successor to Abbas. According to [[Al-Sharq al-Awsat]], Barghouti would run in Palestinian presidential elections and maintained a polling lead over all other candidates.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zboun |first1=Kifah |date=2023-08-02 |title=Barghouti's Wife Leads Movement to Support Him as Possible Successor to Abbas |url=https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/4466061-barghouti%E2%80%99s-wife-leads-movement-support-him-possible-successor-abbas |access-date=27 October 2023 |work=Al-Sharq al-Awsat}}</ref>

=== The Israeli debate on whether to free Barghouti ===
In 2008, 45% of Israelis supported the release of Barghouti, while 51% were opposed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-03-25 |title=Joint Israeli-Palestinian Public Opinion Poll |url=https://www.kas.de/en/web/palaestinensische-gebiete/laenderberichte/detail/-/content/gemeinsame-palaestinensisch-israelische-meinungsumfrage1 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Foundation Office Palestinian Territories |language=en-US}}</ref> Another approach is to suggest that Israel's freeing of Barghouti would be an excellent show of good faith in the peace process. Some prominent Israelis have called for Barghouti's release, citing his unique ability to unite Palestinians These include [[Ami Ayalon]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Graham-Harrison |first=Emma |last2=Kierszenbaum |first2=Quique |date=2024-01-14 |title=Ex-Shin Bet head says Israel should negotiate with jailed intifada leader |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/14/shin-bet-ami-ayalon-calls-on-israel-release-intifada-leader-marwan-barghouti |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Barghouti |first=Marwan |date=January 2011 |title=Message from a Palestinian prisoner |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/0306396810389252 |journal=Race &amp; Class |volume=52 |issue=3 |pages=50–53 |doi=10.1177/0306396810389252 |issn=0306-3968}}</ref> [[Efraim Halevy]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Karpel |first=Dalia |title=A former spy chief is calling on Israelis to revolt |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-10-01/ty-article-magazine/a-former-spy-chief-is-calling-on-israelis-to-revolt/0000017f-e25c-d9aa-afff-fb5cf9f50000 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241113143540/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-10-01/ty-article-magazine/a-former-spy-chief-is-calling-on-israelis-to-revolt/0000017f-e25c-d9aa-afff-fb5cf9f50000 |archive-date=2024-11-13 |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=Haaretz.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-06 |title=Many Palestinians Pin Postwar Hopes on Leader Jailed by Israel for Tw… |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/many-palestinians-pin-postwar-hopes-on-leader-jailed-by-israel-for-two-decades-d9e7ae3f#selection-2505.0-2505.115 |access-date=2025-03-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240706052523/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/many-palestinians-pin-postwar-hopes-on-leader-jailed-by-israel-for-two-decades-d9e7ae3f#selection-2505.0-2505.115 |archive-date=2024-07-06}}</ref> [[Meir Sheetrit|Meir Shitreet]],<ref name=":7" /> and both [[Yossi Beilin]]<ref name=":1" /> and [[Haim Oron]],<ref name=":7" /> two former ministers on the left of Israeli politics.<sup>[6]</sup> Several IDF officers involved in Barghouti's 2002 capture have taken a similar view.<ref name=":10" />

Every Israeli administration since Barghouti's imprisonment has declined to release him. Ayalon claimed in 2024 that "You will not find anybody in our current political community that has any interest in releasing Marwan Barghouti."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-06 |title=Many Palestinians Pin Postwar Hopes on Leader Jailed by Israel for Tw… |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/many-palestinians-pin-postwar-hopes-on-leader-jailed-by-israel-for-two-decades-d9e7ae3f#selection-2137.0-2137.78 |access-date=2025-03-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240706052523/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/many-palestinians-pin-postwar-hopes-on-leader-jailed-by-israel-for-two-decades-d9e7ae3f#selection-2137.0-2137.78 |archive-date=2024-07-06}}</ref> Figures who have spoken in opposition to his release include former Defense Minister [[Moshe Ya'alon|Moshe Ya’alon]], [[Avi Dichter]], and former Foreign Minister [[Silvan Shalom]], who called Barghouti "an assassin who has blood on his hands."<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=93696|title=Barghouti´s Popularity Spurs Campaign to Free Him|publisher=Arutz Sheva|date=25 January 2006|access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060321013644/http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=93696 |archive-date=21 March 2006 |first=Tzvi |last=Ben Gedalyahu}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=20341|title=Israelis may release jailed Fatah leader|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=28 November 2005|access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514010657/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/Nov/28/Israelis-may-release-jailed-Fatah-leader.ashx#axzz1MHhzPq8m |archive-date=14 May 2011}}</ref>

This view gained popularity among the Israeli left after the 2005 [[Israel's unilateral disengagement plan|disengagement]] from the [[Gaza Strip]]. Still others, operating from a [[realpolitik]] perspective, have pointed out that allowing Barghouti to re-enter Palestinian politics could serve to bolster Fatah against gains in [[Hamas]]' popularity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/opinion/6966/the-blame-game/|title=The Blame Game|date=31 October 2003|website=The Forward |access-date=17 June 2024}}</ref>

In January 2007, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister [[Shimon Peres]] declared that he would pardon Barghouti if elected president.<ref name=":12" /> Peres was elected, but issued no pardon.

=== History of negotiations concerning Barghouti's release ===
In 2004, Israel's ambassador to Washington Danny Ayalon proposed, with the "tacit agreement" of [[Ariel Sharon]], that Israel would free Barghouti in exchange for the Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, who was imprisoned by the United States. Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]] rejected the request.<ref name=":10" /> In 2006, there were conflicting claims concerning proposals for Barghouti's release. A Saudi newspaper reported that [[Condoleezza Rice]] had proposed such a step to Israel, with no mention of a quid pro quo, but [[Ehud Olmert]] denied that the idea had been raised in talks with the United States.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=חדשות - פוליטי/מדיני nrg - לבני וברגותי נפגשו בכלא הדרים |url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/1/ART1/510/891.html |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=www.makorrishon.co.il}}</ref> He reportedly continued to oppose Barghouti's release in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=אולמרט נגד שחרור ברגותי |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/161300 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=www.inn.co.il}}</ref>

Hamas sought the inclusion of Barghouti in the 2011 prisoner exchange deal that led to the release of Gilad Shalit, but Israel refused to include him.<ref name=":10" />

During the prisoner swap negotiations in 2024 and 2025 that arose from the [[Gaza war|Gaza War]], Hamas said that Barghouti was at the top of their list of prisoners whom they wanted Israel to free.<ref name="thetimes.com">{{Cite web |date=2025-03-06 |title=Marwan Barghouti: Jailed Palestinian murderer may hold key to Gaza ce… |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/marwan-barghouti-jailed-palestinian-murderer-may-hold-key-to-gaza-ceasefire-cm6j38mwt |access-date=2025-03-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250306091234/https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/marwan-barghouti-jailed-palestinian-murderer-may-hold-key-to-gaza-ceasefire-cm6j38mwt |archive-date=2025-03-06}}</ref> Israel again refused.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=Rasha Jalal ــ Gaza |title=Will Gaza ceasefire's 2nd phase fail over prominent prisoners? |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/will-gaza-ceasefires-2nd-phase-fail-over-prominent-prisoners |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250312152659/https://www.newarab.com/news/will-gaza-ceasefires-2nd-phase-fail-over-prominent-prisoners |archive-date=2025-03-12 |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=The New Arab |language=en-EN}}</ref> [[The Economist]] reported that Mahmoud Abbas, who was expected to face a political challenge from Barghouti on the latter's release, "urged Qatari mediators to remove Barghouti's name from the list of prisoner exchanges."<ref name=":14" /> In January 2025 an Israeli government official denied reports that Barghouti was set to be released and exiled to Turkey.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Milshtein |first=Dr Michael |date=2025-01-03 |title=The Prisoner's Dilemma: The question of Marwan Barghouti |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/ry70qohuyg |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}</ref>