Hussein al-Sheikh, deputy chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and the Palestinian Authority, referred to terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences in Israel for his role in the murders of Israelis during the Al-Aqsa Intifada, as “a symbol of Palestinian resistance.”
Al-Sheikh’s remarks came in response to a visit by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to Barghouti’s prison cell. Ben Gvir’s visit was intended to send a clear and unequivocal message: “Whoever harms the people of Israel, whoever murders our children, and whoever murders our women-we will eliminate them. You will not defeat us.”
Al-Sheikh emphasized that the Palestinian Authority is working on all fronts to secure the release of Barghouti and other terrorist prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
He further claimed that these prisoners are suffering from “slow death” due to Israeli policies, which, he argued, necessitate intervention by international organizations to protect them.
His statements were made during a visit to the Barghouti family home, aimed at underscoring the Palestinian Arab position on prisoners, viewing it as a national priority.