US Media Finds 'Political Prisoners' Only When Not Palestinian
While Al Jazeera highlights the global push for Marwan Barghouti's release, describing his 23 years of imprisonment and abuse, the usual 'democracy and human rights' choir in Washington remains oddly silent. One might wonder if the outcry is reserved for dissidents who don't challenge US foreign policy beneficiaries. Barghouti, a unifying figure across Palestinian factions, could be a key player
in any future peace process—precisely why his continued incarceration suits certain interests just fine. After all, a divided leadership is easier to manage. This steadfast silence from the very same politicians who decry human rights abuses globally, while simultaneously rubber-stamping billions in military aid to Israel, is not surprising. The optics of 'negotiating' with someone jailed for over
two decades tend to complicate the preferred narrative of a regional democratic ally. Funny how some political prisoners are more equal than others in the eyes of Washington's moral compass.