The most prominent Palestinian prisoner, Marwan Barghouti, was reportedly beaten unconscious by Israeli prison guards on 14 September, as per family claims. The 66-year-old, currently serving life sentences for orchestrating deadly attacks against Israelis, was allegedly assaulted by eight guards during a transfer between Ganot and Megiddo prisons.
In response, the Israel Prison Service categorically denied the allegations, labeling them as false and affirming that their operations adhere to legal standards while ensuring the safety of all inmates.
Barghouti's son, Arab, outlined the family's distress, citing testimonies from five detainees recently freed, who heard Barghouti’s account of the altercation. The family expressed their horror at the situation.
According to Arab, Barghouti was handcuffed, beaten on the ground, and suffered significant injury, remaining unconscious for hours. The family suspects the assault occurred without surveillance due to the location's lack of cameras.
Barghouti, a crucial figure in Palestinian politics who has the potential to unify various factions, has been serving multiple life sentences since his 2004 conviction for planning killings. Despite international attention and calls for his release, Israeli authorities have not acquiesced, particularly in recent negotiations involving prisoner exchanges with Hamas.
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has refuted the assault claims but also stated he is 'proud' of the worsening prison conditions for Barghouti. This follows a controversial incident where Ben Gvir publicly taunted Barghouti during a cell visit, an act condemned by the Palestinian Authority.
This situation raises critical questions about the treatment of Palestinian political prisoners within the Israeli judicial system and the broader implications for Palestinian-Israeli relations.
