An international campaign to free imprisoned Palestinian resistance leader Marwan Barghouti is an opportunity for Canadians to take a closer look at three Palestinian resistance leaders – Marwan, Omar and Mustapha – all Barghoutis – but not closely related to one another. Each has chosen a different path in the Palestinian liberation movement. Canadians should get to know them better. Read more.

Marwan Barghouti

Sixty four year old Marwan Barghouti topped the list of Palestinian prisoners Hamas wanted get Israel to release, even though he is not a member of Hamas but of the rival Fateh party. Barghouti is a Palestinian political leader who has served as an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Assembly. He led street protests during the Second Intifada and was arrested by Israel in 2002, and accused and convicted by an Israeli court of involvement in terrorist attacks that killed 5 Israelis.

Barghouti has always said he had no connection to the incidents for which he was convicted. An Inter-Parliamentary Union report found that Barghouti was not given a fair trial and questioned the quality of the evidence.

Despite his imprisonment, Barghouti has consistently topped opinion polls asking Palestinians whom they would vote for in a Presidential election, ahead of both current Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and leaders of Hamas.

Palestinians from all political factions view Barghouti as the leader most able to unify the Palestinians and negotiate with Israel on their behalf. He has been referred to as “the Palestinian Mandela”. Perhaps for the reason of his popularity, Israel has resolutely refused to release him. If Barghouti is “The Palestinian Mandela”, one wonders where is the Israeli “de Klerck”.

In October, Barghouti’s son said his father had been severely beaten by Israeli guards during a prison transfer in September, resulting in four broken ribs and head injuries. Faced with Israel’s stubborn refusal to release him and fearing for his health, a global campaign is being launched to secure his release.

“Marwan Barghouti has been unjustly imprisoned by Israel for over two decades, convicted in a trial by a court he did not recognise”, notes the Free Marwan Campaign.

Notable Canadian and international figures who have backed the campaign include authors Margaret Atwood, Sally Rooney, and Gabor Maté. Barghouti is still a member of Abbas’ Fateh party. At the time of his arrest, Barghouti supported the idea of a 2 state idea. solution which would include full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders and full refugee right of return. Since he has been incommunicado for over 20 years, it is not known what he now thinks.

Omar Barghouti

Sixty one year old Omar Barghouti is best known as a co-founder of the legal and non violent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He was born to a Palestinian refugee family in Qatar. He lived and studied in the USA at Columbia University. As a Palestinian refugee, Barghouti would not have the right to return to Israel, but it became possible after he married a Palestinian citizen of Israel. He returned to Israel in 1993. He holds a masters degree in philosophy from Tel Aviv University.

As a legal resident of Israel Barghouti has been free to travel internationally, and spoken in Canada on at least one occasion. However, in 2019, he was refused entry to the USA. In the last 2 years, several well known Palestinian human rights supporters have been denied entry to the US, so its not clear whether he would be able to enter the US today.

He has faced harassment by the Israeli government. In March 2017, he was arrested in Israel on suspicion of tax evasion of over $700,000 but has still not been charged with any offence with regard to this arrest.

The international BDS movement has 3 principal demands:

• Ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza
• Equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel, and
• The right of return for all Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

In 2022, the Canadian Parliament voted to condemn the BDS movement for “demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel.” That motion was opposed by a wide range of human rights, church and labour groups on the grounds that BDS is legal, non violent and based in international law.

Dr. Mustapha Barghouti

Seventy four year old Dr. Mustapha Barghouti is a Palestinian physician, activist, and politician who serves as General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative (PNI) Party, and head of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.

He was elected as a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2006 and is also a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council.

In 2004, he was a candidate for President as the representative of the Palestinian National Initiative in 2004, to choose a successor to the just-deceased Yasser Arafat as President of the Palestinian National Authority.

He became Mahmoud Abbas‘s main challenger when Marwan Barghouti, who was in jail for leading an uprising was forced to withdraw. He called for Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. He received 20% of the vote. For a short time, he was Minister of Information in Abbas’ government.

Although he has been repeatedly arrested (and even shot) by Israeli forces Barghouti remains an advocate of the use of non-violence and civil disobedience to confront Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Barghouti denounced the murder of civilians on October 7th but refrained from criticizing Hamas as an organization. In recent weeks, he has joined a campaign to release the over 10,000 Palestinian hostages currently held (and frequently tortured) in Israeli jails.

Three resistance leaders all heading in the same direction

Palestinian resistance to Israeli colonisation and dispossession has a long history. Israel has killed, imprisoned or expelled dozens of Palestinian leaders. These three have taken different paths, but all show courage, principle and determination. They deserve our support.

Canada Talks Israel Palestine is the weekly newsletter of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion about Canada’s response to the Israel/Palestine issue. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
To get on our regular mailing list or for more information write: ofip.chair@gmail.com