As I wrote the other day, liberals have a bizarre and worrisome tendency to rally behind the worst people and make them into heroes.
They are not arguing that we should forgive the repentant. I would argue that, in many cases, that is a bad idea because it denies justice to the victims, but I understand the case for doing so. Repentance should inspire forgiveness, which is why we provide priests to condemned murderers and encourage them to ask God for mercy.
But no, more often than not, liberals turn Devils into heroes, as is the case with Marwan Barghouti.
So apparently murdering Jewish teenagers at a disco gets you 200 celebrity signatures for your freedom.
Mark Ruffalo. Paul Simon. Benedict Cumberbatch. Sting. Tilda Swinton. Stephen Fry. Margaret Atwood. Just to name a few.
They just signed a petition demanding Israel release… pic.twitter.com/5a4Kwo7LRY
— Shiri_Sabra (@sabra_the) December 4, 2025
So apparently murdering Jewish teenagers at a disco gets you 200 celebrity signatures for your freedom.
Mark Ruffalo. Paul Simon. Benedict Cumberbatch. Sting. Tilda Swinton. Stephen Fry. Margaret Atwood. Just to name a few.
They just signed a petition demanding Israel release Marwan Barghouti. A man serving 5 life sentences for ordering the murder of Israeli civilians.
You want to know who they’re fighting for?
June 12, 2001. Two teenagers at a Tel Aviv disco. Yoela Chen and Pavel Slutzker. 16 and 17 years old. Barghouti ordered men to shoot them both dead.
July 2001. Father Georgios, a Greek Orthodox monk driving near Givat Zeev. Barghouti ordered a drive-by shooting. Murdered.
January 2002. Salim Barakat having dinner at a Tel Aviv restaurant. Barghouti ordered that attack. Killed.
5 people murdered. 5 life sentences plus 40 years in prison.
But Barghouti didn’t stop at 5.
He commanded the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. Suicide bombers on buses. In cafes. In hotels.
March 27, 2002. Passover. Families gathered at the Park Hotel in Netanya for Seder. A suicide bomber walked in and detonated. 30 people murdered. 140 wounded. Barghouti’s group claimed it.
And 200 celebrities just signed their names demanding this man go free.
They’re calling him the Palestinian Mandela.
Mandela never ordered teenagers shot at discos. Never sent suicide bombers into religious celebrations. When Mandela got out he preached reconciliation and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Barghouti’s face is on posters next to suicide bombers as a symbol of killing Jews.
We just learned this lesson. 2 years ago.
Yahya Sinwar. Released in 2011. Went back to Gaza, rebuilt Hamas, masterminded October 7th. 1,200 Jews murdered. Babies burned alive. Women raped. Families slaughtered.
That’s what happens when Israel releases terrorists. They go right back to killing Jews.
And now 200 celebrities want us to do it again with Barghouti.
If Barghouti had murdered American teenagers, would any of them sign this? If he’d bombed American hotels during Thanksgiving, would Benedict Cumberbatch demand his release?
Not a chance.
Marwan Barghouti was and remains an evil man, and not coincidentally is extremely popular with Palestinians, who appear to want him to become the successor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He was the leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, and personally ordered suicide bombings, terrorist attacks, and the murder of five diners as they sat down to a meal.
That, apparently, is no barrier at all to the over 200 celebrities who are demanding he be released to hopefully lead the Palestinians.
Over 200 public figures have signed onto a petition calling for the release of prominent Palestinian security prisoner Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life terms for his role in terror attacks in which five Israelis were killed, a campaign for his freedom said Wednesday.
The diverse range of celebrities who signed onto the “Free Marwan” petition included several Jewish names, such as British actors Stephen Fry and Miriam Margolyes, American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, and American actresses Hannah Einbinder and Ilana Glazer.
Other prominent names included actors Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, and Josh O’Connor; musicians Annie Lennox, Sting, and Brian Eno; and author Margaret Atwood.
British broadcaster Gary Lineker and Virgin boss Richard Branson also added their support.
“We express our grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned. We call upon the United Nations and the Governments of the World to actively seek the release of Marwan Barghouti from Israeli prison,” the petition’s statement read.
Barghouti insists he wants peace with Israel and denies that he was involved in the terrorist attacks, but people facing five life sentences rarely proclaim their guilt. As the leader of Fatah in the West Bank during the Intifada, he was a leader of the terrorist uprising.
Hamas, during the hostage negotiations, tried to make his release specifically a condition for the return of the hostages. I think we can all agree that they didn’t do so in hopes that he could negotiate a two-state solution with Israel. From the River to the Sea and all that.
Israel has experience with giving in to demands that terrorists be released. Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7th attacks, was released in exchange for hostages, and look at how that turned out.
Nelson Mandela indeed.
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