The Economist published an extensive profile of Palestinian political prisoner Marwan Barghouti on July 22 which presents a picture of a man who could both be a unifying figure who seeks peace, but at the same time is fiercely loyal to the Palestinian cause. “A mediator involved in discussions told me Barghouti’s name is second on the list of prisoners Hamas wants out,” author Nicholas Pelham reports. “If he is released, the dynamics of the conflict could shift. Unlike the lethargic head of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas, he is widely respected. Hamas’s Islamist commanders speak of him with admiration, even though he is from a secular faction. And unlike them, he has a track record of campaigning for a two-state solution. He is said to speak Hebrew flawlessly and without an accent. Several Israeli politicians count him as a friend.
“‘The only leader who believes in two states and will be elected against any other competitor is Marwan Barghouti,’ said Ami Ayalon, the former head of Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency. ‘It’s in our interest he’ll compete in the next Palestinian elections—the sooner, the better.’”
