Marius Fransman
Marwan Barghouti's life and struggle for freedom in Palestine bear parallels to those of Nelson Mandela's struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
Marwan was born in 1959 in the village of Kobar, near Ramallah in the West Bank, eight years before the Israeli occupation, Marwan’s life has been deeply intertwined with the Palestinian struggle.
Like Nelson Mandela, Marwan became involved in political activism at a young age, joining the Fatah Movement at 15 and engaging in protests against the Israeli occupation. He was a co-founder of the Fatah Youth Movement (Shabiba).
At 18, Marwan was imprisoned for the first time by Israel. His involvement in student activism at Birzeit University and his role in the First Intifada solidified his position as a prominent figure in the Palestinian movement.
Marwan Barghouti's faction within Fatah, called Tanzim, was a grassroots organization that arose in the 1990s in the West Bank as an armed wing of Arafat's party. In 2002, during the Second Intifada, Barghouti was arrested by Israeli forces.
Marwan’s trial began in August 2002 and concluded in June 2004, with the court sentencing him to five life sentences and two 20-year prison terms. Despite being imprisoned, Marwan was re-elected in absentia as a member of parliament in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. His imprisonment has made him a symbol of Palestinian resistance.
Over the years we have begun to view Marwan as a significant political prisoner whose imprisonment is symbolic of the Palestinian people’s occupation and brutal suppression.
The love his people - from the west of the river to the sea in the east - have for him invokes in us the love and yearning South Africans held for Nelson Mandela as a symbol of the collective spirit of the imprisoned on Robben Island and elsewhere.
Many Palestinians view him as a "Palestinian Mandela," which points to the desire of the people for Marwan to lead them to freedom, peace and political self-determination under a democratic system of governance.
Some view him as a potential leader to give new life to the Palestinian Authority.
As a South African having lived under apartheid, with parents who lived under apartheid and colonialism, one can see apartheid for what it is, whether in its infancy or full-bodied police and military suppression.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not religious, it is simply one group suppressing another. The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict about land and self-determination. Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, security, water rights, the permit regime, Palestinian freedom of movement and the Palestinian right to return to their land.
The root cause is the denial of land rights, self-determination, security, political rights, social rights and human dignity.
Often, it is said that Arab Israelis living inside the Israeli-mapped area enjoy equal rights to Jewish Israelis; this is of course true to an extent. However, South Africa also had “exempted Blacks” who did not live in what were called Bantustans or other group areas as per the Group Areas Act.
One cannot understand the West Bank or Gaza outside this context. The fact remains that Israel controls the taxes, currency, borders, waters, air, land and movement of all these people who do not have a vote.
Marwan’s imprisonment has not silenced his advocacy for Palestinian rights. He has not been bowed by harsh imprisonment conditions and has called on his people to resist oppression, stating, “Resistance is a holy right for the Palestinian people to face the Israeli occupation.”
Even under brutal prison treatment, Marwan remains committed to human dignity, sovereignty, and self-determination for Palestinians. When Mandela was in prison, he repeatedly sent messages to us to keep up the struggle and assured us that he would not accept the offered personal freedom as long as we were not free as South Africans. Mandela would later repeat this stance when he declared that as long as Palestine is not free, South Africa is not free.
Mandela viewed the struggle against apartheid as synonymous with the fight for Palestinian liberation. Mandela's fight against South Africa's apartheid regime was a fight for freedom and self-determination which led to his imprisonment for nearly three decades.
Like Marwan’s, Mandela's imprisonment became a catalyst for his cause, both domestically and internationally.
Like Mandela, Marwan’s emphasis on negotiations, reconciliation and forgiveness could be instrumental in creating a miracle in the Middle East and ending the oppression by the Israeli Zionists.
Marwan’s political perspective underscores his belief in democratic processes and the importance of internal cohesion in the pursuit of broader Palestinian national goals.
Political struggles are often complex, involving millions of people with diverse perspectives. Having a single, charismatic figure like Marwan or Mandela helps humanize the movement, a movement people can relate to. This makes it easier to garner the support of both supporters and the international community. The strategy had positive impacts in Cuba with Fidel Castro, in Congo with Patrice Lumumba and Chè Guevara internationalist movement.
We believe the global community will respond more effectively to struggles when there is a recognized leader who personifies the movement. Mandela’s imprisonment became a global issue that fuelled anti-apartheid activism worldwide. Marwan in my opinion is that unifying factor that all Palestinian factions have chosen.
We call for Marwan’s immediate release from prison to help the Palestinians build their lives under his leadership.
When negotiations become necessary for Israel, a representative like Marwan Barghouti will strengthen the Palestinian political bargaining position.
Mandela emerged from prison as the undisputed leader who could negotiate South Africa’s transition to democracy through a multiparty forum like CODESA.
Many Palestinians see Marwan as the leader who could guide them toward peace, freedom and self-determination.
Ultimately, while political struggles are collective, history shows that a single figure can encapsulate the hopes, pain, and determination of an entire people, making their cause more powerful and difficult to ignore hence our call for Marwan’s immediate release from prison and a global recognition that Marwan and his comrades are political prisoners and not criminals and should be treated with dignity and respect. This bold action will end the bloodshed and contribute to a lasting peace in the Middle East.
* Marius Fransman is a former Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.