On August 15, 2025, the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, released a video that quickly set off a storm of outrage both within the Palestinian territories and across the international community. The footage, posted to Ben-Gvir’s X account, showed the far-right minister entering the cell of Marwan Barghouti—the revered Palestinian political leader often dubbed the “Palestinian Nelson Mandela”—and taunting him in a display that many have described as deeply provocative and dehumanizing.
Barghouti, who has been imprisoned since 2002 and is currently serving five life sentences, appeared gaunt and weary in the video. His frail appearance shocked many, including his own family. According to Peoples Dispatch, Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa Barghouti, was so taken aback by his condition that she admitted in a public message, “I didn’t recognize you or your features, and maybe part of me doesn’t want to admit everything your face and body express about what you and the prisoners have endured.” She continued, “They are still chasing you and pursuing you, oh Marwan, even after 23 years in prison and in the solitary cell you’ve been living in for two years.”
Ben-Gvir’s words to Barghouti in the video were chilling. “You won’t win. Whoever messes with the people of Israel, whoever murders our children, whoever murders our women, we will wipe them out,” he declared. “You will not defeat us. You have to know this throughout history.” This direct threat, delivered in the confines of Barghouti’s cell, was intended not only for Barghouti but, as many have argued, for the Palestinian people as a whole.
The response from Palestinian leaders and the international community was swift and severe. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told France 24, “What he did towards our brother Marwan Barghouti is a terrorist crime and a murder threat.” The outrage was echoed by Palestine’s ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, who described Ben-Gvir’s act as “racist and fascistic hate, and a deplorable and immoral behavior that violate international law, which prohibits such heinous acts in dealing with prisoners and detainees.”
The United Nations also weighed in, with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) condemning Ben-Gvir’s actions. On August 20, 2025, UN spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan stated, “Video footage showing Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, cursing and mocking Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi, directly inside Israeli prisons, is unacceptable.” He further emphasized that “the behavior of the minister and the publication of the recording are attacks on Barghouthi’s dignity,” and stressed that international law requires all detainees to be treated humanely and with dignity. Al-Kheetan warned that such actions “could promote violence against Palestinian prisoners, allowing human rights abuses at Israeli detention facilities.”
Barghouti’s plight is not a new one. Born in 1959, he was a member of the Central Committee for the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, Fatah. He was arrested by Israeli authorities during the Second Intifada in 2002 and subsequently sentenced to five life terms. Over the past 23 years, Barghouti has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance and unity, often mentioned as a potential presidential candidate and widely respected among Palestinians both at home and in the diaspora.
But the video released by Ben-Gvir was not just an isolated act of antagonism. According to reports from Peoples Dispatch, the conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have deteriorated markedly since January 2023, when Ben-Gvir initiated a crackdown campaign that further restricted prisoners’ access to the outside world and worsened their living conditions. The image of Barghouti, looking physically diminished after two years in solitary confinement, has become a stark representation of the suffering endured by Palestinian detainees under these new policies.
For many Palestinians, the video was a calculated attempt to break their collective spirit by showing their most prominent leader as weak and vulnerable. As Peoples Dispatch noted, Ben-Gvir’s actions were seen as an effort “to break the will of the Palestinian people as a whole through his attempts to break that of Marwan, by depicting him weak-willed and frail.”
International law is clear on the treatment of prisoners. The Geneva Conventions and other human rights treaties mandate humane treatment and prohibit any form of humiliation or degrading behavior toward detainees. The OHCHR’s condemnation of Ben-Gvir’s actions reflects a broader concern that such behavior could escalate tensions and lead to further abuses within Israel’s detention system. “Such action by the minister in charge of Israel’s Prison Service could promote violence against Palestinian prisoners, allowing human rights abuses at Israeli detention facilities,” Al-Kheetan warned, according to WAFA.
The political implications of this episode are significant. Barghouti’s enduring popularity and status as a unifying figure have long made him a thorn in the side of Israeli authorities. His continued imprisonment—and the harsh conditions he faces—are viewed by many as an attempt to prevent him from playing a role in Palestinian politics, particularly given his potential as a presidential candidate. As Dr. Mustafa Barghouti put it, the Israeli government’s treatment of Marwan Barghouti is not just about one man, but about suppressing the hopes and aspirations of an entire people.
The family’s pain is palpable. Fadwa Barghouti’s public message captured the anguish of seeing her husband’s deteriorating condition: “I know that the only thing that hurts you is the inability to protect our [Palestinian] sons and daughters. You are from the people, no matter where you might be you are with them, one of them, your destiny is related to their destiny. This is how you have been and will always be.”
The controversy has also reignited debates within Israel about the conduct of public officials and the country’s obligations under international law. Ben-Gvir, known for his hardline views and inflammatory rhetoric, has become a lightning rod for criticism, both domestically and abroad. His actions in the Barghouti case have drawn condemnation not only from Palestinian leaders and the UN, but also from human rights advocates who warn of the dangers posed by such overt displays of hostility and disregard for legal norms.
As the dust settles from this latest controversy, the image of Marwan Barghouti—once robust and now visibly weakened—serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for Palestinian rights and dignity. The international outcry over Ben-Gvir’s actions underscores the enduring importance of upholding human rights, even in the most challenging and politically charged circumstances.
For now, Barghouti remains behind bars, a symbol of both the suffering and resilience of the Palestinian people. The world’s attention, however fleeting, has once again been drawn to his plight—and to the broader questions of justice and humanity that his case represents.
