{
  "id": 4627898,
  "title": "The Barghouti ‘myth’: Why Palestinians still want a leader they barely know - interview",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/the-barghouti-myth-why-palestinians-still-want-a-leader-they-barely",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T10:52:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-907119"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Dr. Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University's Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, explains why imprisoned Fatah figure Marwan Barghouti continues to enjoy significant support among Palestinians despite serving five life sentences. Polls have consistently shown Barghouti to be the leading choice for the next Palestinian president, with 54% of the vote in the latest poll, well ahead of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and PA President Mahmoud Abbas, who received just 14%. Milshtein attributes Barghouti's popularity to his \"myth\" status, which represents symbols, dreams, and aspirations among Palestinians, particularly the young. He also notes that the poor perception of alternatives, such as the failures of the Palestinian Authority and the struggling Palestinian economy, contribute to Barghouti's continued popularity.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}