{
  "id": 4641803,
  "title": "Marwan Barghouti's son does not rule out father running in upcoming Palestinian presidential elections",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/marwan-barghoutis-son-does-not-rule-out-father-running-in-upcoming-4641803",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T11:49:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/08/31/marwan-barghoutis-son-does-not-rule-out-father-running-in-upcoming-palestinian-presidential-elections/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The upcoming Palestinian presidential elections, slated for next year after a 20-year hiatus, may see the involvement of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, according to his son, Arab. \"There's nothing legally stopping him from running if he wishes to,\" Arab stated. Barghouti has been incarcerated in an Israeli prison since 2002 on terrorism charges. The decision to run will be his alone once the elections are officially announced. Barghouti was on the brink of victory in 2021, but President Mahmoud Abbas cancelled the elections, citing Israel's refusal to allow Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem to participate. Abbas, who has been in power for over two decades, faces increasing international calls for political reform, prompting a decree for upcoming legislative and presidential elections.\n\nDespite his long isolation, Barghouti secured the most votes in the May elections for the ruling Fatah party's central committee. Recently, an international campaign advocating for Barghouti's release has garnered support from prominent figures in the music and film industries, including actors from the Marvel Universe. Arab attributed the surge in support to a growing sense of hopelessness and despair regarding the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, emphasizing the need for a democratic renewal and a leadership focused on Palestinian freedom, self-determination, and an end to the occupation, while adhering to international legal frameworks.\n\nArab elaborated on why his father would be an ideal candidate for the presidency and shared his understanding of his father's plight. \"I believe the Nelson Mandela model in South Africa made it easier for people to envision a future where better leadership can truly make a difference, and that's what my father embodies,\" Arab said. \"The more people learn about him, the more they realize this is the path to achieving justice and peace.\" Barghouti has endured torture, starvation, and solitary confinement during his imprisonment, as confirmed by his lawyer and family. Since the Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza in October 2023, Israel has intensified the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners, denying them food, medical care, hygiene, and subjecting them to torture and overcrowding. This abuse has reportedly prevented the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from regularly visiting the more than 10,000 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails. Despite these efforts to sideline and silence him, Barghouti remains Palestine's most prominent detainee, garnering international support throughout his incarceration. In his trial, Nelson Mandela famously noted: \"What is happening to Barghouti is exactly the same as what happened to me.\"",
  "summary": "Palestinian presidential elections set to take place next year for the first time in 20 years could include the participation of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti , his son, Arab, told The National . “There's nothing legally that prevents him from running [in the elections] if he wants to,” Arab said. His father has been in prison in Israeli on terrorism charges since 2002. “It’s his decision…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Marwan Barghouti's son does not rule out father running in upcoming Palestinian presidential elections",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/marwan-barghoutis-son-does-not-rule-out-father-running-in-upcoming",
        "published": "2026-08-31T11:49:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}