US urges Israel to ‘transparently investigate’ Marwan Barghouti abuse allegations
Marwan Barghouti is escorted by Israeli police into Jerusalem’s magistrate court on 25 January 2012
Middle East Eye reports on 27 March 2024:
The Biden administration has reportedly raised concerns about Israel’s treatment of imprisoned Palestinian leader, Marwan Barghouti.
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the State Department raised allegations of Barghouti’s abuse with Israel, asking them to “thoroughly and transparently investigate credible allegations” and that Palestinian prisoners must be held in “dignified conditions and in accordance with international law”.
Members of Barghouti’s family allege that since the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel and the subsequent war on Gaza, he has been subjected to physical and psychological mistreatment, including being placed in complete darkness in solitary confinement for 12 days. Barghouti’s lawyers are cited in the Post story as saying that Barghouti had several bruises on his body. The Israeli Prison Service told the Post it has “no knowledge of these claims”.
The Washington Post story appeared three days after Arabi21, quoting unnamed sources, said that the US opposed Barghouti’s release from Israeli custody amid ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel to reach a hostage deal. The US has taken its position in response to Israel’s request to keep him behind bars, according to Arabi21.
Middle East Eye reached out multiple times to the White House and Department of State for comment on whether they opposed Barghouti’s release or the release of other Palestinian officials convicted in Israeli courts of killing Israelis, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. Two former senior US officials familiar with the Biden administration told MEE they were not aware whether or not the US was opposing Barghouti’s release in the hostage negotiations.
Barghouti is one of the most popular political figures in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and has been described as Palestine’s Nelson Mandela. A former leader of Fatah’s armed wing, he was arrested by Israeli forces in 2002 and sentenced to five life terms in prison for five counts of murder, among other charges.
Barghouti, a key leader of the Second Intifada, is serving his sentence at Israel’s Megiddo prison and maintains he is not connected to attacks on Israeli civilians.