In a brief update on the region from the Guardian’s “Middle East Live” page on July 20th – their blogging on “Uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa” – Marwan Barghouti was characterized as “a Nelson Mandela for the Palestinians”.
Yes, really.
For those unaware: Barghouti, the founder of Fatah’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, is currently serving five life terms in Israeli prison for orchestrating suicide terror attacks which killed dozens of Israeli civilians.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
He has referred to Israel as “the worst and most abominable enemy known to humanity and modern history,” and continues to call for armed “resistance” against Israeli civilians.
The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, it should be noted, is an organization designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union, due to their orchestration of dozens of suicide bombings and many more shooting attacks against Israeli vehicles.
Here are some of the group’s most notable attacks:
January 2002: Bat Mitzvah massacre, when a gunman killed six and wounded 33 in a Bat Mitzvah celebration.
March 2, 2002: suicide bombing in Beit Yisrael, Jerusalem - 11 killed.
January 5, 2003: Southern Tel Aviv central bus station – 22 killed.
January 29, 2004: Rehavia, Jerusalem, bus line 19 – 11 killed.
March 14, 2004: Port of Ashdod - 10 killed (together with Hamas).
To compare Barghouti to Mandela – that is, as a leader who can become a political catalyst to peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians - is an appalling, if unsurprising, Guardian moral inversion.
Barghouti is a terrorist leader who possesses no remorse for the dozens of innocent Jewish civilians his group has murdered.
The degree to which the Guardian can spin such a malevolent bigot as some sort of progressive force demonstrates once again the extreme pathos which informs the ideology known as the Guardian Left.
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July 31, 2011 at 9:21 am
pretzelberg
Marwan Barghouti was characterized as “a Nelson Mandela for the Palestinians”.
Simply not true. The writer quite clearly says “Barghouti is sometimes described by outsiders as a Nelson Mandela for the Palestinians.” They were quoting Rory McCarthy, who did not characterise him as such himself.
And if some peope actualy do see him as a Mandela, then why not report that?
What about the following?
the 50-year-old activist is seen by some as a Palestinian Nelson Mandela
http://www.haaretz.com/news/marwan-barghouti-peace-talks-with-israel-have-failed-1.3830
Report by Reuters but published by Ha’aretz. So did the latter likewise “characterise” Barghouti so?
August 10, 2011 at 4:14 am
Hadassah
Elliot Jager has written an article about the characterization of Marwan Barghouti as a Palestinian Mandela. See http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2011/8/9/main-feature/1/the-palestinian-mandela
July 31, 2011 at 8:26 pm
TomWonacott
Hi Pretzelberg
Doesn’t anyone respect Nelson Mandela anymore? They should characterize Barghouti for what he is – a fucking murderer. Aside from that, the Guardian will, of course, jump on the bandwagon when it comes to (mis) mischaracterizing Barghouti for political reasons. Why doesn’t Israel bring back the death penalty for God’s sake?
Who the hell do you suppose first portrayed this guy this way?
July 31, 2011 at 10:02 pm
abban
Comparing Barghouti to Nelson Mandela is insulting to Barghouti. Mandella was a mass-murder who was behind the murder of thousands of black south africans in their tribal warfare against rivaling anti-aparthied movements (such as the progressive party).
the only reason mandela today is described as a man of peace and victim of apartheid is because his ANC party strong-armed all the other anti-apartheid movements out of negotiations in the 90s. The ANC, mandela, and his sick wife who murdered children (black, not white) by necklacing them (look up images) took over South Africa and turned into a cesspool.
barghouti is a sick fuck but i believe he is more rational than mandela who is an ego-maniac and killed many, many more people. over 18,000 killed between 1984-1990.
July 31, 2011 at 11:26 pm
TomWonacott
abban
I appreciate your response. Unless you believe that Israel is an apartheid state, its difficult for you to gain any kind of sympathy from me on former apartheid South Africa – or even remotely compare Barghouti and Mandela (which is the point of the CIF article). Apartheid was a “sick” system of government based simply on racial segregation/bigotry – by law – and certainly one of the most evil systems of the twentieth century. Mandela refused to renounce violence against ending apartheid. He opposed apartheid non violently at first, and then by sabotaging symbols of apartheid in the 1960s. He was thrown in jail for sabotage (not murder) in the 60′s and spent 26-27 years behind bars. The ANC did carry out a campaign of terror against apartheid.
I’m no fan of the ANC, necklacing or apartheid, but Barghouti falls far short of being a Mandela. That’s a certainty.
August 1, 2011 at 6:06 pm
pretzelberg
tribal warfare … over 18,000 killed between 1984-1990.
When Mandela was in jail, of course. What would have been your ideal solution for SA?