Who is Marwan Barghouti, the Man Called ‘Palestine’s Mandela’?

Marwan Barghouti, often called “Palestine’s Nelson Mandela”, is one of the most influential Palestinian political leaders — and the most senior one currently in an Israeli jail. He is also the most popular leader among Palestinians, seen by many as a symbol of resistance and a possible future president.

On Friday, Barghouti appeared in a rare video from inside prison. The footage shows Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir entering the solitary confinement section and confronting him. Wearing a plain white T-shirt, Barghouti looked frail but calm as the far-right minister warned him: “You will not defeat us. Whoever targets the people of Israel and kills our sons and women will be erased.”

Who is Marwan Barghouti? Early Life and Political Rise

Barghouti was born on June 6, 1959, in the village of Kobar near Ramallah — the same year the Palestinian liberation movement Fatah was founded. He joined Fatah in 1974 and was first jailed in 1978 for being part of an armed group. He spent four years in prison, where he learned English and Hebrew, completed his schooling, and later enrolled at Birzeit University. There, he met lawyer Fadwa Ibrahim, who became his wife in 1984.

In 1987, during the First Intifada, Barghouti became a prominent leader of the Palestinian uprising. That same year, Israel exiled him to Jordan. He returned in 1994 under the Oslo Accords and was later elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Leader During the Second Intifada

In the early 2000s, Barghouti led Fatah’s armed wing, the Tanzim, during the Second Intifada, which broke out after the failure of peace talks at Camp David. He became one of Israel’s most wanted men.

In January 2002, he published an opinion piece in The Washington Post, cementing his political presence. Just three months later, he was arrested. In May 2004, an Israeli court sentenced him to five life terms for five murders. Barghouti denies the charges.

A Symbol of Resistance

Barghouti is known as an avid reader, particularly inspired by Nelson Mandela’s life story. In 2013, eight Nobel Peace Prize winners launched a campaign for his release from Mandela’s former cell on Robben Island. Many Palestinians and even some Israelis believe his leadership could bring reform and possibly peace.

He has led major protests from prison, including a hunger strike in 2017 involving over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. He also secretly wrote a 255-page book from behind bars, detailing his prison life.

A Popular Successor to Mahmoud Abbas

At 88, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas remains deeply unpopular. Many see Barghouti as the strongest candidate to replace him. A 2023 poll by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research found that Barghouti would win nearly half the votes in a presidential race, far ahead of Abbas or other leaders.

Today, Marwan Barghouti remains a powerful political figure — even from a prison cell — with many Palestinians seeing him as the voice of their future.