Former world leaders urge Trump to press 'Israel' on Barghouti
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The Elders urged renewed US engagement, linking Barghouti’s release and adherence to international law to restoring prospects for a lasting "peace process".
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A man walks past a mural depicting the Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, with a message that reads in Arabic, "See you soon" in the West Bank city of Beit Lahm, on August 20, 2025 (AP)
A coalition of prominent former heads of state and diplomats has called on US President Donald Trump to urge "Israel" to release detained Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, a move they argue could help revive prospects for a lasting "two-state" solution.
The appeal came after a board meeting in London of The Elders, the independent group founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007 to promote peace and human rights. The group is chaired by former Colombian president and Nobel laureate Juan Manuel Santos and includes figures such as Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland; Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand; and Graça Machel, the Mozambican freedom fighter and widow of Mandela.
In a statement, The Elders condemned "Israel’s" recent airstrikes on Gaza City as “a flagrant violation of the ceasefire deal” and urged stronger international pressure on "Israel" to permit humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, where conditions remain catastrophic.
Their call for Barghouti’s release, once tentatively supported by Trump, aligns with growing European backing for his freedom, viewed as a step toward reviving fragmented Palestinian politics and "preventing Hamas from filling the political void." Barghouti, a long-standing advocate of the "two-state" solution, remains the most popular Palestinian leader in opinion polls.
“The ill-treatment, including torture, of Barghouti and other Palestinian prisoners must end,” The Elders said. “Israel must uphold its obligations under international law to safeguard prisoners’ rights.”
The group emphasized that “only the Palestinian people have the right to choose their own leadership” and welcomed what they perceive as President Mahmoud Abbas’s commitment to hold internationally monitored elections within the next year.
The Palestinian Mandela
Often described by supporters as “the Palestinian Mandela,” Barghouti has spent 23 years in Israeli prisons. “He has a vital role to play as a unifying figure whose reputation for supporting a two-state solution has only grown,” The Elders said, recalling that their founding chair, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, had called for his release as early as 2013.
Barghouti’s release has also drawn support from some Israeli political and security figures, including a former director of the Shin Bet internal security service.
Barghouti’s role in Palestinian politics
Marwan Barghouti, a senior leader in the Fatah movement, is widely regarded as one of the most prominent and respected figures in Palestinian politics. Many view him as a potential successor to Abbas and a symbol of unity across political factions.
Barghouti has been imprisoned by the Israeli occupation since 2002 and is serving five life sentences on charges related to the Second Intifada, which began in 2000. He has consistently denied the charges and rejects the authority of the Israeli court system, citing his status as a member of the Palestinian parliament.
In the most recent prisoner exchange between Hamas and the Israeli occupation, which saw the release of 1,968 Palestinian detainees in return for 20 Israeli captives, negotiators from the Resistance group pushed hard for Barghouti’s inclusion. Despite their efforts, the Israeli occupation refused to release him.
Barghouti’s continued imprisonment remains a central issue for many Palestinians, and his case is increasingly drawing international attention, particularly in the context of human rights and political legitimacy.
