Palestinian Authority mounts 'organised campaign' against Mustafa Barghouti after he attacks UAE-Israel normalisation

The Palestinian Authority has attacked the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative (PNI), Mustafa Barghouti, on Friday over statements he made that were described as "offensive" to the UAE.

The attack was led by the spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, who emphasised that past statements by Barhgouti on the UAE do not represent the official position of the State of Palestine. He added that it is not permissible to "offend the symbols or leaders of brotherly or friendly Arab countries".

Rudeineh also accused Barghouti of being "beholden to agendas that do not serve the interests of the Palestinian people". 

The attacks comes as part of a PA-driven media campaign against Barghouti since the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023. The current accusations concern a video in which Barghouti apparently criticised the rulers of the UAE for its policy of normalisation with Israel and the Abraham Accords.

Since the outbreak of Israel's brutal war on Gaza in October 2023, Barghouti has emerged as a prominent voice in Arab and international media, widely recognised for his steadfast advocacy of the Palestinian cause on the global stage.

He has criticised the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority's position on the war in Gaza and their lack of resistance to Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian territories. 

Observers say his consistent presence and outspoken support for Palestinian resistance have made him a target of an orchestrated campaign by certain factions within the PA.

These factions, critics argue, appear more focused on silencing pro-resistance voices than confronting the Israeli occupation itself—at times even downplaying or rationalising its actions.

Barghouti has denied making any offensive remarks toward the UAE or its people, reaffirming his commitment to the "fraternal ties that unite the Palestinian people with the broader Arab world".

He also expressed regret that the Palestinian presidency’s spokesperson did not contact him directly before issuing public statements, emphasising that his views reflect his independent political position and do not represent any official body.

The PA is known to be extremely territorial when it comes to other Palestinian individuals or groupings that undermine their decades-long rule in parts of the occupied West Bank, with Barghouti's popularity and prominence likely considered by them as a threat.

In the video in question, Barghouti makes broad criticisms of the widely unpopular Abraham Accords and the manner in which Palestinians had been deliberately forced out of the conversation in the Arab normalisation deals with Israel. 

Barghouti notes that the problem in Arab countries, including the UAE, is a growing generational indifference towards the Palestinian cause. 

"They [the younger generation in the UAE] see themselves as cosmopolitans. They don’t see themselves as part of the Arab world in the same way. They don’t really relate to the Palestinian cause... they see it as a kind of hangover from another era," he said. 

Meanwhile, Barghouti received a surge of support on social media, where activists praised his leading role in exposing Israeli violations and defending Palestinian rights.

Adding to the online backlash, users resurfaced an old video of Palestinian presidency spokesperson Abu Rudeineh condemning the UAE’s normalisation agreement with Israel, describing it as a betrayal of Jerusalem, Islamic holy sites, and the Palestinian cause.