PLO deputy chief Hussein al-Sheikh glorifies notorious terrorist Marwan Barghouti as a Palestinian “icon,” while Israel’s National Security Minister Ben Gvir vows an unbreakable stand against those who murder Israeli civilians.
In a provocative statement, Hussein al-Sheikh — deputy chairman of both the Palestinian Authority and the PLO Executive Committee — praised convicted terrorist Marwan Barghouti as a “symbol of Palestinian resistance.”
Barghouti, currently serving five life sentences in Israel for orchestrating the murders of civilians during the bloody Al-Aqsa Intifada, has long been championed by Palestinian leadership as a national hero.
Al-Sheikh’s remarks came after National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir personally visited Barghouti’s prison cell. The visit, meant as a defiant gesture, carried a clear message: “Whoever harms the people of Israel, whoever murders our children and women — we will eliminate them. You will not defeat us.”
Al-Sheikh countered by insisting that the Palestinian Authority is working tirelessly for Barghouti’s release, alongside other convicted terrorists, while accusing Israel of imposing conditions that amount to a “slow death.” He urged international organizations to intervene against Israel’s prison policies.
The statement was delivered during a high-profile visit to the Barghouti family home, signaling that the PA continues to elevate imprisoned terrorists as national symbols, framing their release as a “national priority.”
