Top prisoner's wife speaks out
Israel must release all Palestinians to give peace a chance, Marwan Barghouti's wife tells Ynet
Fadwa Barghouti , whose husband serves five life sentences for his role in the murder of Israelis, said she does not understand Israel's insistance to differentiate between prisoners who actively took part in murders and those who do not have "blood on their hands."
"Israel doesn't realize every Palestinian household feels
personally hurt by the distinction," she said. "We will not allow Israel to divide people into categories, our nation would not suffer once more from the differentiation."
'All prisoners should be released'
Barghouti said she believes Israel must release all Palestinians, starting with senior prisoners, followed by women, the sick and children.
"This would provide the Palestinians with a positive message," she said. "They would then believe there is importance and value to the peace process."
In answering whether she understands Israel's concern that released prisoners could resume their terror activities, she said once there is peace, no one would feel the need to renew the armed struggle.
Barghouti, a lawyer by profession, has fought for three years for her husband's release after he was arrested during the "Defensive Shield" military operation in the spring of 2002.
Barghouti, who is the leader of the Fatah's West Bank military arm, the Tanzim, is the most senior prisoner currently held by Israel.
Their son Qassam, also imprisoned in Israel, is expected to be released as part of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's goodwill gesture to the Palestinians.
"My husband led the Intifada when he saw Israel had turned its back on peace," she said. "I am convinced he would be released along with the other prisoners."
