Palestinians condemn Ben-Gvir amid Barghouti threat

Palestinians condemn a visit by a far right Israeli minister to the jail cell of Marwan Barghouti and call it a provocation.

Palestinians condemn Ben-Gvir amid Barghouti threat

Palestinian officials condemned the visit by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Ganot Prison cell of long imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti. Video from Channel 12 shows him making threatening remarks to Barghouti, who has been in prison since 2002 including time in solitary confinement. The Palestinian Authority says the remarks amount to an unprecedented provocation and state terrorism, and it will raise the matter with the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international bodies.

Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa, wrote on social media that he and other Palestinian prisoners face inhumane treatment behind bars. Rights groups say the prisoner has endured harsh conditions since the Gaza war began in 2023, though Israel denies repeated claims of assault by prison staff. The footage has drawn fresh attention to the treatment of political prisoners and to how public messaging from government figures can complicate already fragile relations with the Palestinians.

The incident exposes how high level rhetoric and prison realities collide in a volatile region. Ben-Gvir’s remarks reflect a hard line on Palestinian prisoners and underscore a broader effort to use public messaging to signal political priorities. The release of the video, and its domestic and international coverage, heightens scrutiny of Israel’s prison system and the state’s handling of detainees.

The reply from Palestinian authorities emphasizes international channels and human rights frameworks, signaling a push to external accountability. The episode also highlights how social media and televised clips can magnify a single moment into a diplomatic pressure point, complicating both sides’ narratives and the wider path to de escalation.

Highlights

The episode tests the limits of dialogue in a conflict that already hinges on control of narratives.