Is Omar Barghouti Living or Dead?

About Omar Barghouti

Omar Barghouti is a Palestinian politician and human rights defender who has become a leading voice in the global movement for Palestinian rights. Born on December 31, 1964, in Qatar, Barghouti grew up in a family of Palestinian refugees who were forced to flee their homeland during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Barghouti's activism began in the early 1990s, when he became involved in the Palestinian campaign for boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. He has since become one of the most prominent advocates for BDS, which seeks to pressure Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories, grant equal rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and allow Palestinian refugees to return to their homes.

Barghouti is the co-founder of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), which has been instrumental in promoting BDS in the cultural and academic spheres. He is also a founding member of the BDS National Committee (BNC), the Palestinian civil society coalition that coordinates the global BDS movement.

Despite facing harassment and intimidation from Israeli authorities, Barghouti has continued to speak out for Palestinian rights. He has been arrested and detained by Israeli authorities multiple times, and has been denied entry to the United States and other countries due to his activism.

Barghouti's work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Gandhi Peace Award and the Edward Said National Achievement Award. He has also been recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

Barghouti's advocacy for Palestinian rights has not been without controversy, however. He has been accused by some of promoting anti-Semitism and seeking to delegitimize Israel. Barghouti has vehemently denied these accusations, arguing that BDS is a nonviolent, rights-based movement that seeks to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.

Despite the challenges he has faced, Barghouti remains committed to the struggle for Palestinian rights. As he wrote in a 2019 op-ed for The Guardian, "We will continue to resist until we achieve our freedom, justice and equality, and until we can return to our homes and lands from which we were expelled."