Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been widely condemned for taunting imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in a 13-second video clip. The footage, which shows Ben-Gvir making threatening remarks to Barghouti while Israel’s prisons minister Kobi Yaakovi stood nearby, was released as part of a policy of stricter conditions for Palestinian prisoners.
Barghouti, who is serving a life sentence for his role in planning killings during the second Intifada, appears gaunt and almost unrecognizable after being held in solitary confinement for years. The video marks the first public appearance of Barghouti in over a decade.
Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, has been criticized for his divisive rhetoric and has imposed sanctions on several countries for inciting violence against Palestinians. His comments to Barghouti have sparked widespread outrage, with the Palestinian foreign ministry describing them as “organised state terrorism”.
The incident follows similar grandstanding by Ben-Gvir’s fellow far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich, who announced plans to construct a large new settlement in contravention of international law. The Palestinian Authority has long sought Barghouti’s release, and his imprisonment remains a contentious issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/15/far-right-israel-minister-itamar-ben-gvir-taunts-jailed-palestinian-leader-marwan-barghouti-in-prison-visit