AMNA NAWAZ: As the fragile cease-fire# holds, Palestinians are grappling with## what comes next in their quest for# statehood and who will lead them.

The most popular political leader is# 66-year-old Marwan Barghouti, convicted## and imprisoned in Israel as a terrorist, but seen# as a potential unifying force among Palestinians.

Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen spoke## with Barghouti's son in Ramallah# in the occupied West Bank.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Often called# the Palestinian Nelson Mandela,## Marwan Barghouti has long been seen# by Palestinians and Western leaders## alike as the one man who could unite and lead# Palestinians to statehood, the youngest person## to be elected to the Palestinian Legislative# Council and a key leader of the second intifada.

But he has been jailed by Israel for 23 years,# convicted in 2004 of planning an attack that## killed five Israelis.

Many say the trial was a# sham.

Hopes were high he would be released in## the cease-fire/prisoner hostage swap, but the# day came and went, and imprisoned he remained.

In a rare interview, the "News# Hour" spoke with his son Arab,## who was just 11 when his father went to# jail, about the campaign for his release.

ARAB BARGHOUTI, Son of Marwan Barghouti:# We thought that anyone in their right mind## that wants an end for this cycle of violence would## see that my father represents a great# positive voice for political settlement.

The fact that he has a political vision# that is accepted by the international## community is the reason why the Israeli# government does not want him released.## They already released more than 800# Palestinians with life sentences## since his imprisonment, but they insist on# keep avoiding him, because he's not -- they## understand he's not a security threat and# he's never been.

He's not a military guy.

But they don't want a political figure# who is willing and capable of unifying## the Palestinian people towards a two-state# solution that is accepted by everyone.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Tell me about your# father's treatment in prison since October 7.

ARAB BARGHOUTI: Since October# 7, the Israeli government has## found it a great opportunity for# the collective punishment of the## Palestinian people overall and especially# the Palestinian detainees inside prisons.

After October 7, my father has been# through some of the ugliest torture## tactics that you can think of.

Obviously,# he had nothing to do with October 7,## but yet he got punished for it.

He# was sent to solitary confinement.

He was sent from prison to prison.

He was# put in a very tiny cell that could barely## fit his body without windows, with a# spotlight in his face, with putting## speakers at the door of his cell with the# highest volume of the Israeli national anthem## to prevent him from sleeping for days and days.# And he got assaulted four different times.

They## shackled him.

They put him on the ground and they# started kicking him.

They started beating him up.

They focused on the head area.

They# focused on the chest area, on the legs,## and until he lost consciousness.

So that was# a clear assassination attempt.

These units,## they follow the lead of Ben-Gvir.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Itamar Ben-Gvir# is the security minister in Benjamin## Netanyahu's far right government.

He# has been a vocal advocate of increasing## the severity of state policy towards Palestinians.

ARAB BARGHOUTI: Ben-Gvir went to# my father's cell a couple of months## ago.

He taunted him.

He threatened# his life.

He showed him a picture## of electric chair and he told him that,# this is your fate.

This is your future.

I'm just asking myself, what are these Western# leaders and Western governments waiting for?

This## is the man that could unify the Palestinian people# for the political vision that you're asking for,## you're supporting.

So, show that you're willing# to take steps by calling for his release.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: For decades,# your father has consistently been## voted the most popular candidate to# be leader of the Palestinian people.## What is it about his experience in his# background that makes him the man for the job?

ARAB BARGHOUTI: He's a unifying figure.# He is capable of unifying the Palestinian## people across factions, across secular,# extremists, whatever you want to call it,## and bring them into a reasonable# political vision that is accepted## by the international community.# And he did -- already did that.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: In 2006, Marwan Barghouti# united the Palestinian factions from prison## behind one plan.

It remains the best available# basis for a cohesive Palestinian government.

Barghouti has long been an outspoken advocate# of a two-state solution and before his arrest## worked with Israeli politicians in the# Knesset in pursuit of a workable peace plan.

ARAB BARGHOUTI: He brought every single faction,# including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and made them## sign on a document that stated clearly that# the Palestinian state will be built on the## '67 borders and established there, resistance# will be limited to within the '67 borders,## and the targeting of civilians should# be forbidden regardless where they are.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Marwan# Barghouti is often referred## to as the Palestinian Nelson Mandela.

Why is that?

ARAB BARGHOUTI: I think this is very interesting,# because Nelson Mandela was called a terrorist,## and my father as well.

And if you go back to any# struggle, in Algeria, in Ireland, in South Africa,## in all the countries that were colonized and# occupied and so on, you will find that their## resistance and their defending themselves against# their occupiers is always being called terrorism.

Ninety percent of the civilians killed in# the last eight decades of this so-called## conflict have been on the Palestinian# side and not the Israeli side.

And who## killed them?

It's Israelis.

And# they're never called terrorists.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Arab says the key# to peace is understanding the oppressive## system of occupation Palestinians are# forced to live under and ending it.

ARAB BARGHOUTI: It's apartheid.

You are# ought to feel that you're a second-class## citizen in every single day, every single# move.

When you move from city to city,## you're stopped by checkpoints, you're# searched, you might get humiliated.

For example, I was born in Jerusalem.

I'm# not allowed to go to Jerusalem for 25 years,## while you can go to Jerusalem tomorrow, even# though you have no ties to the city.

If you go## to Hebron, you're allowed to go to some streets# I'm not allowed to go to because I'm Palestinian.

We want to get to a point# where we don't need resistance,## because resistance exists -- according# to international law, we have the right## of resistance as long as there is occupation.# We want the occupation to end.

The root cause## of what's happening is the occupation and# the apartheid regime that we're living in.

My message to the international community is# that help us with ending the illegal occupation,## and we promise you that we will commit to# every single law.

And we can't -- how can I## go to Palestinians who are being tortured,# who are being -- their families are being## bombed in front of them, and tell them you# don't have a right to resist your occupier?

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Arab argues that, for decades,# successive Israeli governments have intentionally## imprisoned popular leaders, so the Palestinian# people would have no effective politicians.

ARAB BARGHOUTI: They always say# there is no partner for peace,## and that's done by design.

It's# intentional.

They're not interested## in a partner for peace.

My father has# been a big supporter for the two-state## solution for more than three decades, and# he is the most trusted Palestinian leader.

But they don't want that combination,## because that combination puts them in the# corner that they have to negoti.. they have to negotiate a political settlement.

And# they're not interested in that.

And these are not## my words.

These are Netanyahu's words.

He said# that he's not interested in a Palestinian state.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Arab believes that now# is an inflection point in history.

He hopes## his father will be a free man to watch a# new dawn for Palestinians alongside him.

ARAB BARGHOUTI: My father's dream has# always been very simple and very clear,## which is Palestinian children to live in# peace and prosperity and with security## like any others.

And he's always said that# we Palestinians deserve our freedom and## deserve to live with dignity and we're# not an exception from any other nation.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: For the# "PBS News Hour," I'm Leila## Molana-Allen in Ramallah, the occupied West Bank.