#marwan-barghouti

#marwan-barghouti

The political fate of Palestinians is bound to the personal fate of Marwan Barghouti. After more than two decades in an Israeli jail for murder, the charismatic 66-year-old is by far the most popular Palestinian leader, widely regarded as the only figure capable of uniting factions riven by ideology and enmity. Though a member of Fatah, Mr Barghouti has criticised abuses by the Palestinian Authority and has won respect within Hamas ranks.

Most of the high-profile cultural signatories were already active in efforts to bring an end to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, but the new letter is part of an international Free Marwan campaign launched by Barghouti's family earlier this week. Barghouti, a senior leader of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group, who is viewed by many as Palestine's Nelson Mandela, is serving five life sentences in Israeli prisons on alleged charges related to attacks during the second Intifada, which lasted from 2000 to 2005.

The main Palestinian factions have said they have agreed that an independent committee of technocrats would take over the running of Gaza after Hamas said it had received clear guarantees from mediators that the war has effectively ended. A joint statement published on the Hamas website said the groups had agreed in a meeting in Cairo to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee composed of independent technocrats', which will manage the affairs of life and basic services

You will not win. He who messes with the people of Israel, he who will murder our children, he who will murder our women, we will wipe him out.