US lawmaker Ro Khanna calls for release of Fatah figure Marwan Barghouti

Key Points:

• US Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna urged Israel to release imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, emphasizing Palestinians' right to choose their own leadership and Barghouti's potential role in advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace.
• Khanna described Barghouti as a respected, secular leader viewed as non-corrupt and highlighted support from some former Israeli security officials for his release, while acknowledging Barghouti’s criminal convictions and contested trial fairness.
• Drawing parallels to peace processes involving former adversaries like Yasser Arafat and the IRA, Khanna argued that Barghouti’s release could help facilitate diplomacy and future coexistence between Israel and a Palestinian state.
• Barghouti, serving multiple life sentences since 2004 for attacks during the Second Intifada, remains a prominent Palestinian political figure and a leading candidate in hypothetical future Palestinian presidential elections.
• Khanna’s call comes amid his efforts to raise his foreign-policy profile ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run and reflects a growing faction within the Democratic Party advocating for a reassessment of US policy toward Israel and Palestine.