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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/1.783911
With Palestinian Prisoner Strike, Barghouti Challenges Abbas' Leadership
(Ha'aretz) Amos Harel - A hunger strike by Palestinian security prisoners in Israel that began on Monday has as much to do with intra-Palestinian power struggles as it has with the struggle against Israel. The Palestinian Authority leadership, which is officially supporting the strike, in actuality is concerned about any outcome that could advance the standing of Marwan Barghouti, who initiated the strike and who is not especially liked by President Abbas. The strikers' demands include more family visitation hours, more access to pay phones, and more television channels. With hundreds of people being slaughtered in Syria, it will be hard for the Palestinian prisoners to enlist the Arab world's empathy and even its attention for their struggle. Moreover, in recent years there have been cases of Palestinians from Gaza crossing into Israel because they believe that conditions in Israeli prison are preferable to life in the Strip.