The US Israel Education Association condemned the Friday report that Israel was considering, with the support of the United States, to release Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti as part of hostage deal negotiations with Hamas.
The Association claimed, "Releasing Marwan Barghouti is not a move that makes sense for the good of Israel or the US at any stage of a hostage deal. Barghouti’s history includes deadly terrorist attacks against Israel for which he has been serving five life sentences in Israeli prisons since 2002. There’s every reason to believe that he will continue to promote violence and conflict against the Jewish people if released.
"In fact, including terrorists like Barghouti as part of a 'renewed authority' will result in more political corruption and state-sanctioned terror. Barghouti remains unrepentant and calls for a third Intifada. We have seen this before in 2011 with the release of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7th massacre, who is now the new head of Hamas."The signed statement by US, Egyptian, and Qatari leaders is insufficient and serves as a temporary band-aid. The US Israel Education Association wishes everyone to be reunited with their families and be rid of suffering, but remains firm on its stance: there is no reason why Israel’s chief objective of eradicating Hamas should change. This is the path forward toward a more secure and stable region."