fbpx

News

Israeli leaders condemn New York Times for Barghouti article

[ssba]

Israeli politicians have reacted angrily to a New York Times article by Marwan Barghouti, the putative leader of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli prisons.

Barghouti was convicted in an Israeli civilian court in 2004 on five charges of murder and one attempted murder. He was also held responsible for four other terror attacks. He is serving five life terms for the murders, and an additional 40 years for attempted murder.

The New York Times referred to him at the end of the article as a ‘Parliamentarian and leader’ and made no reference to his convictions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the New York Times for publishing the article. He said: “Calling Barghouti a ‘political leader’ is like calling Assad a ‘paediatrician.’ They are murderers and terrorists. We will never lose our sense of clarity because we are on the side of justice and they are on the side that is neither just nor moral.”

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said: “Anyone who reads the column without prior knowledge of the facts will come to the conclusion that Barghouti is a freedom fighter imprisoned for his views. Nothing is further from the truth. The missing part of the column is that Marwan Barghouti is a murderer.”

The New York Times issued a clarification on Tuesday that said: “This article explained the writer’s prison sentence but neglected to provide sufficient context by stating the offenses of which he was convicted. They were five counts of murder and membership in a terrorist organization.”

The Palestinian hunger strikers are demanding access to pay phones in prison, longer visits, permission for family photographs and an end to solitary confinement and administrative detention.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv has detailed existing privileges that include free university degrees, cooking their own food, free access to the canteen, wearing their own clothes, no cell searches, and no limits on personal items.

Palestinians commentators have suggested that Barghouti’s actions are primarily an attempt to send a message to the Fatah leadership and Abbas, who excluded Barghouti’s loyalists from a recent Central Committee meeting and did not make Barghouti the deputy head of the PA as expected.