Marvel Stars Back Campaign for Barghouti’s Release, Prompting Outcry Over Convicted Terrorist

Marvel Actors Endorse Campaign for Barghouti’s Release

More than 20 actors who have appeared in Marvel films have signed onto a campaign calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti, a convicted Palestinian leader currently imprisoned in Israel. The campaign, branded "Freedom for Marwan," was publicized on Instagram by the group freemarwannow, according to the Jerusalem Post. Among the signatories are Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton, as reported by the Post.

The campaign was launched by Barghouti’s family in coordination with UK-based organizations in December, according to the Post. It has gathered over 200 signatures from cultural figures, including actors, musicians, writers, and directors, the Post reports. The petition statement expresses "grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment, and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned," and calls on the United Nations and governments worldwide to actively seek his release, as quoted by the Post.

Who Is Marwan Barghouti?

Barghouti, a former leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, was convicted by an Israeli court in 2004 on five counts of murder and one of attempted murder, and sentenced to five consecutive life terms plus 40 years, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Post’s reporting details that the three-judge panel in Tel Aviv found Barghouti guilty of murders arising from three attacks: the June 2001 killing of a Greek Orthodox monk, Tsibouktsakis Germanus; the January 2002 shooting of Yoela Chen in Givat Ze’ev; and the March 2002 attack on the Seafood Market restaurant, which killed Eli Dahan, Yosef Habi, and Salim Barakat, and wounded 25 others. The court acquitted Barghouti of 21 further murder counts across 33 other attacks due to lack of evidence tying him personally to the trigger, but found he led the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, as noted by the Post.

Barghouti’s supporters consider him a de facto Palestinian leader and a symbol of resistance, according to the Post. A poll cited by the Post indicated that Barghouti was the most popular candidate for Palestinian leadership, with 54% of likely voters saying they would vote for him. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed an international petition demanding Barghouti’s release in May, the Post reported.

Criticism from Victims’ Families and Campaign Omissions

The campaign has drawn sharp criticism from Stephen M. Flatow, an attorney and president of the Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi, whose daughter Alisa was murdered in a 1995 Palestine Islamic Jihad attack. Writing in the Jewish Chronicle, Flatow argues that the campaign's public-facing materials omit the identities of Barghouti’s convicted victims. He notes that the campaign's biography page presents Barghouti as a "husband and father" and "nation builder" without mentioning his convictions. Flatow also points out that one of the victims, Salim Barakat, was an Arab Israeli, complicating the Palestinian-versus-Israeli framing.

Flatow’s commentary, published in the Jewish Chronicle, describes the campaign as employing "message discipline" aimed at a younger, historically illiterate audience through Marvel fan accounts. He accuses the campaign of "redaction" and "erasure" of the victims’ stories. However, Flatow distinguishes between signatories who may be ignorant of the details and the organizers, whom he holds accountable for using a Mandela-like framing. He also references Barghouti’s prison privileges, including completing a D. from Cairo University and receiving visits from members of Knesset and intellectuals.

In 2017, Barghouti initiated a hunger strike while in prison, the Jewish Chronicle reports, but security cameras allegedly showed him eating candy bars, a detail that Flatow uses to question the narrative of mistreatment. In 2014, according to the Jewish Chronicle, Barghouti wrote a letter from prison arguing that "an ongoing armed conflict with Israel is Arafat's legacy" and that the Palestinian Authority must cease all cooperation with Israel.

Broader Context and Reactions

The campaign has not been without controversy beyond the celebrity endorsements. The involvement of high-profile Marvel actors has sparked debate about the role of entertainers in political causes, particularly in a conflict as polarizing as the Israeli-Palestinian one. The Jerusalem Post’s coverage emphasizes Barghouti’s terrorist designation and his conviction, while the Jewish Chronicle’s opinion piece focuses on the victims and the perceived historical distortion.

While the campaign presents Barghouti as a political prisoner and a symbol of resistance, its critics argue that the signatories are either unaware of or unmoved by the details of his conviction. The differing portrayals highlight the deep divisions in how Barghouti is perceived: as a heroic figure fighting for Palestinian statehood by some, or as a convicted murderer by others.

As of now, neither the actors nor the campaign organizers have publicly responded to the criticism. The petition continues to gather signatures, according to the campaign’s Instagram post.