Foreign Policy

Jailed Palestinian Leader Wins Primaries

November 27, 2005 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

Marwan Barghouti has won support in the Fatah election primary held in Palestine; many individuals believe Marwan could be elected the next free leader of Palestine. However there may be one key obstacle Marwan may have trouble with, Marwan is currently serving multiple life terms in an Israeli prison for involvement in shooting attacks that killed five Israelis.

On June 6, 2004, Barghouti was sentenced to five consecutive life terms and 40 years for his involvement in the killings of five Israelis. Marwan is a leader who believes violence is a necessary means to attaining an end to the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

While free in Palestine, Marwan routinely encouraged the use of violence to Palestinians in speeches delivered at funerals and public demonstrations. Marwan believed all manner of force was acceptable to exact the expelling of all Israelis’ from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Marwan Barghouti was not especially well known to Palestinians until he assumed a leadership role with the Fatah party, and subsequent conviction in an Israeli court for the killing of five Israelis, these issues have turned him into a very recognizable name. Marwan has been acquitted of 33 other murders with which he was charged, because of a lack of evidence.

One positive trait many have discussed regarding Marwan is the fact that he displayed a willingness to speak out against the corruption of the Palestinian Authority leadership during a time where it was a dangerous thing to do, unheard of before he did this. This openness and honest ness in this subject area allowed Marwan the ability to make many political acquaintances, as well as establish numerous political relationships, with government officials in Israel. Could this convicted prisoner in Israel become a leader that could potentially help resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict?

One would have to put faith in the political process and hope that the chance of freedom and democracy outweigh the emotions of hatred and ethnocentrism that prevail in this temperamental area. For the time being Marwan has thrown his support behind Mahmoud Abbas, but there are many movements trying to attain the release of Marwan from Israel so that he can return to Palestine and assume a leadership role in the government. What will become of this event is still yet to be known but you can be assured if he won, it would be a very interesting campaign celebration party.

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