Hollywood A-listers including Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sting, Javier Bardem and others signed an open letter calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti, the Palestinian leader serving five life terms for his role in terror attacks that killed five people.
More than 200 actors, musicians, authors and other cultural figures signed the letter, released Friday by campaign for Barghouti’s release. Other signatories included Sir Richard Branson, Margaret Atwood, Sting, Brian Eno, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox and Sir Ian McKellen.
A man walks past portraits of leading member of the Fatah party Marwan Barghouti. AFP via Getty Images
Senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti appears in Jerusalem’s court on Jan. 25, 2012. APIn 2004, Bargouti was convicted in an Israeli court of membership in a terrorist organization and five counts of murder stemming from three deadly terrorist attacks in Israel.
Mark Ruffalo speaking at a screening and talk for ‘Task’. Dave Allocca/Starpix/INSTARimagesProsecutors accused Barghouti of ties to Fatah, Tanzim and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade militant group and the court held him responsible for providing field units with money and arms in attacks that killed four Israelis and a Greek monk.
An Israeli prison guard escorts jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti (C) to a deliberation at Jerusalem Magistrate’s court January 25, 2012. REUTERS“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 read.
Barghouti called the charges illegitimate and his family alleged he’s been assaulted and suffered inhumane treatment in prison, according to the BBC.
Barghouti, a former Parliamentarian, remains a popular Palestinian figure topping opinion polls.
Sting is among the close to 200 figures to have signed the letter. MediaPunch / BACKGRID
Producer Javier Bardem during the presentation of the film ‘Todo lo que fuimos’. Europa Press / MEGALast month, The Post exclusively reported that Nadeen Ayoub, the first-ever Miss Palestine in the Miss Universe pageant, has ties to Barghouti — she married the terrorist’s son and even named their child after him.
Hamas negotiators argued for Barghouti’s release in the October hostage-prisoner swap in which the terror group handed over 20 hostages in exchange for 1,968 Palestinian detainees, but they were unsuccessful.
