More than 1,500 Palestinian prisoners have launched an open-ended hunger strike to demand better conditions in Israeli prisons.
Liz Spayd wrote Tuesday that "Barghouti is an unusually popular political figure among Palestinians, especially for a man behind bars".
In support of the hunger strike, the office of the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, issued a statement containing the list of demands by the hunger strikers. They also reportedly discussed the prisoners' demand that Israel "comply with worldwide law" with respect to their treatment.
"Two days ago, I read an article in the New York Times, which depicts the multi-terrorist Barghouti as a 'parliamentary leader, '" Netanyahu said during Mimouna celebrations in Dimona.
"It is to be emphasised that the (prison service) does not negotiate with prisoners".
Israel denies Palestinian inmates are mistreated and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said the Barghouti-led protest was "prompted by internal Palestinian politics and therefore includes unreasonable demands".
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Mattis added , "But the agreement on nuclear issues still stands and that's all I can say about it". Both Iran and Hezbollah are now fighting in support of Syrian President Bashar al Assad's forces.
Furthermore, the Palestinian Detainees' Committee and the Palestinian Prisoner Society have reported that the prison authority in Galboa' Israeli prison has prevented the lawyers from visiting with hunger striking detainees. Prisoners are also demanding better medical care and extended visits with family.
Approximately 1 100 prisoners in different facilities had declared their intention to strike, said Israel Prison Service spokeswoman Hana Herbst, adding that the service was taking disciplinary measures.
He said Barghouti had been placed in solitary confinement because calling for the hunger strike was against prison rules. He was convicted on five counts of murder and one attempted murder, and was implicated in - and held responsible for - four other terror attacks.
In recent years, previous Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli custody have come close to death and had to be hospitalized. According to Palestinian authorities and the advocacy group Addameer, some 500 of them are held under administrative detention which means they are jailed without charge or trial for a period of six months, which can be extended.
The Times published an op-ed by Barghouti on Sunday, in which he explains his and other prisoners in Israel's reasons for beginning a mass hunger strike.
Barghouti also uses a rhetorical sleight-of-hand to lambast Israel's supposedly corrupt military courts - and thereby to cast doubt on his sentence - when he cites their conviction rate despite having been convicted for his murders in civilian court.
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