Wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti urges Trump to support his release

The wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti has called on US President Donald Trump to help secure her husband’s release, following remarks by Trump that he would soon “make a decision” on the matter.

“Mr. President, a genuine partner awaits you, one who can help fulfill the dream we share of just and lasting peace in the region,” said Fadwa Barghouti in a statement to TIME. “For the sake of freedom for the Palestinian people and peace for all future generations, help release Marwan Barghouti.”

Trump made his comments during an interview with TIME when asked if he would support freeing Barghouti, a figure often regarded by Palestinians and international observers as a potential unifying leader. “I am literally being confronted with that question about 15 minutes before you called. That was the question. That was my question of the day. So I’ll be making a decision,” Trump said.

Barghouti, 66, has been imprisoned since 2002 and sentenced in 2004 to five life terms for attacks carried out during the Second Intifada. He denied any involvement and refused to recognize the 'Israeli' court’s authority. Once a key participant in the Oslo peace process, Barghouti was known for maintaining dialogue with senior 'Israeli' officials even during heightened tensions.

Despite being a senior member of Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction, Barghouti has also managed to maintain relations with Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza. His name has repeatedly surfaced in prisoner exchange negotiations, with reports indicating that Hamas listed him among the top figures it sought to include in talks after the events of October 7, 2023.

Barghouti remains among the most popular figures in Palestinian politics, frequently topping opinion polls for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority (PA). “They don’t have a leader right now, at least a visible leader,” Trump remarked in the interview, acknowledging Barghouti’s symbolic significance.

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to reject any two-state solution, but Trump’s mention of Barghouti has raised cautious optimism that Washington may push for new leadership dynamics.

Among those supporting Barghouti’s release is Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress and a longtime Trump ally. “I think that the fact that he's thinking about it is a great step in the right direction,” Lauder told TIME. “A two-state solution is only possible if you have a good leader and Marwan Barghouti will be the right leader for it.”

Barghouti’s family has long accused 'Israeli' prison authorities of mistreating him under the watch of Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right minister overseeing 'Israel’s' prisons. The Israeli Prison Service has denied those claims, though Ben-Gvir previously released a video of himself confronting Barghouti in his cell.

“He’s a unifying figure,” said Arab Barghouti, the imprisoned leader’s son, in an interview with PBS. “He is capable of uniting the Palestinian people across factions, secular, extremist, whatever you want to call them, and bringing them together around a political vision accepted by the international community.”