Israel May Release Fatah's Barghouti to Gaza or Abroad Amid PA Opposition

May 5, 2024, 02:58 PM

Reports indicate that Israel may agree to release Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Fatah leader, as part of a hostage deal with Hamas. Barghouti, arrested in 2002 and serving a five-year sentence, could be released to Gaza or abroad but not to the West Bank, according to conditions set by Israel. This potential release is seen as significant for Palestinian politics, with Barghouti viewed as a unifying figure capable of bridging the Fatah-Hamas divide and a supporter of the two-state solution. However, senior Palestinian Authority officials, including Majid Faraj and Hussein al-Sheikh, have reportedly requested his exclusion from the deal. The United States has also agreed to remove Barghouti's name from potential prisoner swap lists presented by Hamas.