Nael Barghouti, the longest-serving Palestinian political prisoner, was released by Israeli occupation forces two days ago after spending 45 years in custody. In addition to being the longest-held prisoner, Nael is well-known for his enduring love story. The tale of his unbreakable love and his relentless perseverance in the fight against occupation has become a cherished part of Palestinian folklore, admired by many. 

Barghouti was born in the village of Kobar, located north of Ramallah in the West Bank, a village known for producing numerous freedom fighters. Among them are Nael and his cousin Fakhir al-Barghouti, who were accused and sentenced to over 80 years in Israeli occupation prisons. 

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The story of Barghouti is emblematic of the incredibly difficult experience endured by Palestinian prisoners. Barghouti was arrested at the age of 20 and detained on charges of participating in the killing of an Israeli soldier in 1978. He was only released after 33 years of imprisonment as part of a prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel in 2011. A month after his release, Barghouti married his love, Iman Nafi.

Nafi’s eyes would always light up with the excitement of a child whenever she recounted moments with her beloved husband. “Nael has a beautiful personality. He is playful, highly educated, and considerate,” she said. Nafi grew up hearing the resilient stories of the Barghouti family. She would often hear her mother praise the patience and fearlessness of Nael’s mother, who had lost both of her sons to Israeli prisons at a very young age.  “She was a mighty lady, fearless and resilient; mashallah. Two of her sons were imprisoned, Nael and Omar (Abu Asef),” my mother would say before continuing the story. “And she never missed a chance to visit them when she was allowed. Like always, the occupation officers at the prison would give the families a hard time, but she never let them break her spirit.”

During one of her visits, an Israeli soldier deliberately mispronounced her name as an insult. Her name, Farha, means “joy” in Arabic, but the soldier twisted it to “Frakha,” which means “chicken.” The fierce woman stood up, looked him in the eyes, and replied, “You called me chicken? Thank God, I gave birth to roosters who will pick your eyes.”

Recounting the moment she met him for the first time after his release in 2011, Iman shared that she had never met Nael before, as he had been arrested even before she was born. However, she had grown up hearing the famous stories of Nael, a well-known figure in her village. Amidst the joyous celebration in her village, Iman had the chance to catch a glimpse of the brave Nael while he was giving an interview to an Israeli news channel. Although Nael was in his 50s at the time, his radiant energy struck Iman deeply.

“I will never forget the energy he radiated, of a man reborn to fight,” she recalled. “As long as the occupation continues, we will keep fighting,” Nael told the reporter. After saying something in Hebrew, he switched back to Arabic and, with utmost determination, said, “I know your language. I learned it in prison. But I will speak to you in my language.”

Eventually, Nael’s life began to return to normalcy. However, the village was soon caught up in rumors that Nael had fallen in love with a woman he had never met before. He had heard her voice on the radio, passionately defending Palestinian prisoners, advocating for their rights, and visiting their families, including his own. This woman had also been imprisoned for 10 years. The woman in question was none other than Iman, who had already fallen for his bravery. Less than a month later, the two lovebirds were reunited.

On their wedding day, Nael stood before the crowd and said, his marriage is a victory against prison, a challenge to those who deprived them from freedom. “As a freed prisoner, I consider my marriage to another freed prisoner a victory against prison, a challenge to those who deprived us of our freedom, and a triumph of the spirit of faith and hope. This joyous occasion is only the first step in unlocking the door to the life that still lies ahead of us. They denied us freedom, but they did not kill our determination to break our chains. Now, I can say that Iman and I will embark on a new journey, as we are about to start yet another family among others in this great nation. We pray to God that He completes our happiness and joy and heals our wounds that have bled for too many years, leaving deep memories that will live with us forever. But these memories shall also serve as lessons that will strengthen our resolve to continue our march for freedom.”

Soon after their marriage, the young couple moved to the eastern side of the village. Almost every day, Nael would hike through the fields, reconnecting with the olive trees he had tended to as a young boy before his arrest. Most of the trees had been planted by him, and now, they bore fruit. However, their time together was cut short, as they were separated before completing three years of marriage. 

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“We did not leave each other’s side except for a few hours during those 31 months,” Iman says.

Nael had been forbidden from seeing the skies for 33 years, so every night, he would spend hours on the roof, staring at the stars. In the mornings, Barghouti would occupy himself by “planting orange and peach trees, along with tomatoes and cucumbers, among other things,” Iman recalled. 

Later, in 2014, Iman moved to the United States for school.

One day, a month after moving to the U.S., Iman received a call from her father: “The Israeli occupation has re-arrested Nael.” She was devastated by the news. The Israeli forces had previously ordered him to refrain from being active in efforts for Palestinian unity and the rights of prisoners. Initially, he was given a 33-year sentence, which was later reinstated as his original life sentence, plus an additional 18 years. 

On the same call, her mother, with a heavy heart, told her, “He had given me a letter, granting you  the freedom to walk away because he didn’t want you  to wait for him again.” However, Iman was not ready to give up on Nael so easily. After a pause, she firmly responded, “I will wait my whole life. I will keep fighting for him till the end.”

On the day of Nael’s release, Iman was not granted permission to leave the West Bank to meet him. Despite this, their bond transcended any barriers, and the love they shared was beyond imagination. Though separated by walls and restrictions, their hearts remained united, steadfast in the knowledge that their reunion would come.