1,600 Palestinian prisoners launch hunger strike
Israeli officials replied by imposing sanctions and a Cabinet minister said he would not mind if they starved to death.
About 1,600 prisoners started the strike on Sunday. Organisers say the rest of the 7,500 detainees are to join by the end of the week. As the hunger strike began, the most prominent Palestinian prisoner was working on a smooth transition in the Gaza Strip after Israel's planned withdrawal next year, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.
Marwan Barghouti, a leader of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, has presented an 18-point plan for Gaza to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and the leaders of the two militant groups responded "positively, in principle", according to a source close to Mr Barghouti. Mr Barghouti proposed that, after the Israeli withdrawal, militant groups be given a role in running Gaza, but insisted that they halt attacks on Israel from that territory, though not from the West Bank.
Militants would stop parading armed in public and, within three months of the withdrawal, would have to sell their weapons to the security forces.
Gunmen could join the security forces, but would have to cut their ties with the militant groups.
Since Israel announced its pullout plan, concerns have been raised about a power vacuum and a possible takeover by Islamic militants.
Under Mr Barghouti's plan, Mr Arafat's Palestinian Authority would be the sovereign in Gaza, but a "monitoring committee" with representatives from all groups would have a considerable say.
Mr Barghouti, seen as a possible successor to Mr Arafat, is serving five consecutive life terms for a role in attacks that killed five people, but is frequently mentioned in reports about possible prisoner exchanges.
Barghouti was taking part in the hunger strike, his daughter Aruba said. The Palestinian government said it backed the striking prisoners and declared yesterday a day of solidarity.
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