The Israel Prison Service confirmed Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi accompanied the minister. The footage marked the first public glimpse of Barghouti in years and an extraordinary departure from routine, since Israeli authorities rarely allow recordings of high-profile security prisoners.
Barghouti, a leader of the second Palestinian intifada, was convicted in 2004 of murder for his role in directing shootings and suicide bombings during the uprising. Israeli courts found him responsible for attacks that killed five people. He is serving five consecutive life sentences plus 40 additional years.
Global headlines
The video led coverage across international media. Britain’s Sky News sent out a rare push alert, describing it as “public humiliation” of a senior Palestinian prisoner. The Wall Street Journal called it “the first glimpse in years of a popular Palestinian leader,” saying Barghouti’s rare appearance gave the moment political weight beyond what it described as Ben-Gvir’s “provocation.”
The BBC highlighted condemnations from Palestinian Authority leaders, quoting senior official Hussein al-Sheikh as calling the encounter “the embodiment of psychological, moral and physical terror.” CNN focused on family reactions, quoting Barghouti’s wife Fadwa as saying she barely recognized him and describing his appearance as proof of harsher prison conditions since Israel tightened security after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
The Guardian linked the episode to Israel’s broader hard-line agenda, saying Barghouti appeared “almost unrecognizable” after years in isolation and portraying Ben-Gvir’s release of the video as a political act rather than a prison management decision. The paper connected the incident to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s recent pledge to expand West Bank settlements and bury prospects for a Palestinian state.
At the United Nations, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric called the video “disturbing” and urged Israel to safeguard Barghouti’s rights and safety.
Political resonance
Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure and longtime rival of Abbas, is regarded by many Palestinians as a unifying figure. Polls show he would easily defeat both Abbas and Hamas leaders in a presidential election. His reappearance, analysts say, could inject new energy into the debate over Palestinian leadership at a time when the international push for recognition of a Palestinian state is gaining momentum.
Israel has denied repeated claims by Barghouti’s relatives and prisoner groups that he has been beaten or starved in solitary confinement.
