Israel Slams Hollywood Campaign to Free Convicted Terrorist Barghouti

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Monday denounced a Hollywood-backed campaign calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure serving five life sentences for directing terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada, saying celebrities cannot rewrite his criminal record.

“Hollywood can manufacture superheroes. It cannot manufacture Marwan Barghouti’s innocence,” the ministry said in a statement posted on social media. “Five murder convictions. Five life sentences. Five victims of his terrorist plots.”

The ministry urged the public to remember the victims rather than “glorify their murderer.”

The rebuke followed a new wave of support for the “Free Marwan” campaign from more than 20 actors linked to Marvel films and television productions, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Don Cheadle, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton and Ian McKellen. Campaign organizers say more than 200 cultural figures — actors, musicians, writers and directors — have signed on since Barghouti’s family launched the effort late last year with groups in the United Kingdom.

In a statement circulated by the campaign, the signatories said they expressed “grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment, and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned” and called on the United Nations and world governments “to actively seek the release of Marwan Barghouti from Israeli prison.”

Barghouti, 67, was arrested by Israeli forces in 2002. In 2004, the Tel Aviv District Court convicted him of five counts of murder, attempted murder and membership in a terrorist organization. He was sentenced to five consecutive life terms plus 40 years. He has been described by supporters as a unifying Palestinian political figure and compared to Nelson Mandela; Israeli officials describe him as a former leader associated with Fatah’s Tanzim and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.

The court found Barghouti responsible for three attacks:

The June 12, 2001, shooting of Greek Orthodox monk Father Georgios Tsibouktzakis (also rendered Tsibouktsakis Germanus), 35, on the Jerusalem-Ma’aleh Adumim road.

The Jan. 15, 2002, shooting of Yoela Chen (also spelled Hen), 45, a mother of two and U.S. citizen, at a gas station near Givat Ze’ev.

The March 5, 2002, shooting and grenade attack at Tel Aviv’s Seafood Market restaurant that killed Eli Dahan, 53, of Lod; Yosef Habi, 52, of Herzliya; and Sgt. Maj. Salim Barakat, 33, a Druze Israeli police officer who confronted the attacker. About 25 other people were wounded.

Barghouti denied the charges and refused to recognize the Israeli court’s legitimacy. The court acquitted him of numerous other murder counts after finding insufficient evidence of his direct responsibility in those cases.

Israeli officials have repeatedly opposed including Barghouti in prisoner-exchange talks, citing his seniority and the convictions. Hamas has previously demanded his release in hostage negotiations.

The Foreign Ministry’s statement did not name individual actors but framed the celebrity drive as an attempt to recast a convicted terrorist as a political prisoner. “Remember the names of the victims,” the ministry said, “instead of glorifying their murderer.”