'We Will Erase': Israel's Ben Gvir Video Taunting Imprisoned Palestinian Leader Sparks Outrage
A video published by Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Friday has caused widespread anger after showing him confronting Marwan Barghouti, the most high-profile Palestinian prisoner held by Israel.
In the video shared on the social media platform X, Ben Gvir is seen surrounding Barghouti inside a prison cell along with two other people, including a guard.
The minister addresses Barghouti directly in Hebrew, saying, 'You will not defeat us. Whoever harms the people of Israel, whoever kills children, whoever kills women… we will erase them."
אני קורא הבוקר שכל מיני 'גורמים בכירים" ברשות לא כ"כ אהבו את מה שאמרתי לארכי מחבל מרואן ברגותי ימ"שאז אני אחזור על זה שוב ושוב בלי להתנצל – מי שיתעסק עם עם ישראל, מי שירצח לנו ילדים, מי שירצח לנו נשים, אנחנו נמחק אותו. בעזרת השם. pic.twitter.com/pp1BNqF58M
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) August 15, 2025
Barghouti, a senior member of the Palestinian Fatah party, has been in Israeli custody for over 20 years after being sentenced for his involvement in attacks during the early 2000s. Israel considers him a 'terrorist" and convicted him for his role in the second intifada, or uprising, from 2000-2005.
In his video, Ben Gvir's wrote, 'Anyone who messes with the people of Israel, anyone who murders our children, anyone who murders our women, we will wipe them out. With God's help."
According to AFP, sources close to Ben Gvir said the meeting took place 'by chance" during an inspection visit to Ganot prison in southern Israel, but did not specify when the video was filmed.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the video strongly. In a statement from its foreign ministry via the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the confrontation was called 'an unprecedented provocation."
The Palestinian mission to the United Nations added that Barghouti is 'enduring extremely harsh humanitarian conditions in his solitary confinement cell," losing over half his weight due to 'deliberate medical neglect and mistreatment."
Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq also spoke out, saying Ben Gvir's actions show 'there is no meaning of savagery left that has not been embodied by" the Israeli minister.
Barghouti remains a highly influential figure among Palestinians and is sometimes described by supporters as the 'Palestinian Mandela."
(With inputs from AFP)
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