Palestinian presidency decries widespread torture of prisoners in Israeli jails

WEST BANK:  The office of the Palestinian presidency has released a statement pointing to the widespread torture of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons and condemning what it called “serious retaliatory measures” taken by Israeli authorities against imprisoned Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti.

Barghouti, seen by many Palestinians as a popular figure who could bridge divides within the Palestinian national movement, has been subjected to harsh conditions in Israeli prison, and his family has launched a global campaign calling for his release.

“The Palestinian Presidency warned of the serious and brutal violations to which Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons are subjected, which affect their human dignity and threaten their lives in a blatant violation of all international laws and conventions, foremost among them the four Geneva Conventions,” the statement said.

Qassam Barghouti, son of the Palestinian political figure and Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, has said that he received a call, informing him that Israeli prison guards had brutally assaulted his father, leaving him “physically shattered”.

Barghouti’s son said that his father had his ribs and teeth broken and a part of his ear cut off by prison guards “for entertainment” in a social media post that appears to have been deleted.

The Palestinian presidency said in a statement earlier on Friday that it was aware of unspecified “serious retaliatory measures” against Barghouti, stating that Israeli authorities were “fully and directly responsible” for his safety.

The younger Barghouti said that the caller identified themselves as a Palestinian prisoner who had been released, and that the call came from an Israeli number.

In a later post, Qassam said that he is trying to obtain information about his father’s state from relevant agencies and contact the person who initially called him, but has not been able to do so.

In recent days, Barghouti’s family have said that they fear for his life and have launched a campaign calling for his release.

Germany has urged Israel “to stop settlement construction” in the occupied West Bank ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s meeting with Netanyahu in Israel this weekend.

“We are, of course, following developments very closely and have always said that they must comply with the provisions of international law. We have repeatedly condemned the massive violence perpetrated by settlers against Palestinian civilians,” said Sebastian Hille, a government spokesperson, at a news briefing in Berlin.

“We reject any steps aimed at annexing the West Bank. We see this as a significant obstacle on the path to a negotiated two-state solution and the implementation of the peace plan,” he added.

Hille reiterated that the ongoing settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories was a clear violation of international law and “violates relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council”.

On Saturday (today), the chancellor will travel to Jordan, where he will meet with King Abdullah II before heading to Israel for his inaugural visit on Sunday, during which he will discuss the fragile ceasefire in Gaza with Netanyahu, among other topics. Monitoring Desk