Ben-Gvir’s threat to Palestinian shackled prisoner sparks calls to act on detainees

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s appearance inside the cell of Palestinian prisoner Hassan Salameh, where he threatened him with death and execution, has sparked widespread reactions on social media and calls to move beyond condemning abuses to seeking practical ways to secure prisoners’ release. 

Activist Khaled Al-Juhani said Salameh was “the owner of the land and the owner of the right”, describing him as the “engineer of revenge operations” for Yahya Ayyash.

In a post on X, Al-Juhani said Ben-Gvir’s appearance while threatening Salameh with death came as he confronted a prisoner “who knows he will die”, but who, according to Al-Juhani, believes he lived and worked for a cause he considered worth sacrificing for.

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Writer and political analyst Yasser Al-Zaatreh said Ben-Gvir was “showing strength against Salameh while he is shackled, and threatening him with killing and execution”, while the prisoner appeared, in his description, unconcerned by the threats.

In a post on X, Al-Zaatreh said Salameh had been sentenced to 48 life terms, adding that the expression on his face could be summed up by the question: “And do we fear death, you cowardly criminal?!”

Journalist Khaled Safi said Ben-Gvir appeared “behind heavy security” while confronting Salameh, whom he described as one of the most prominent prisoners linked to attacks carried out in the 1990s.

In a post on X, Safi described Ben-Gvir’s threats to kill and execute Salameh as an attempt to show strength inside prisons, and said the Israeli minister was using the issue of prisoners in his political and electoral rhetoric.

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