Palestinian Leader Indicted on Terror Charges
As he was led into the courtroom Wednesday morning, Barghouti shouted in Hebrew that ``the uprising will be victorious.'' Asked how he felt, the scruffy-looking defendant said ``Baruch Hashem,'' or ``God be praised,'' a Hebrew expression commonly used by observant Jews.

Before the session began in the Tel Aviv District Court, Barghouti was twice brought into the courtroom, only to be dragged away by guards after he launched into speeches proclaiming his innocence and blaming Israel for the violence. He was ushered into the court for a third time just before the proceedings started.

Barghouti and his lawyers have denied Israeli claims he acknowledged orchestrating attacks, saying he was interrogated incessantly after his arrest.

Boulos, the defense attorney, said he would not call witnesses. Barghouti does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Israeli court, Boulos said.

``Marwan has prepared a list of charges against Israel and the Israeli occupation,'' Boulos said.

After the Palestinian Authority was established in 1994, Israel stopped arresting and putting senior Palestinian figures on trial. The Palestinian Authority was largely permitted to handle law and order issues in areas under its control, an arrangement that held until the Palestinian uprising broke out.

In nearly 23 months of fighting, Israel has arrested several thousand Palestinians suspected of involvement in violence. Israel's army has also killed dozens of suspected militants.

Meanwhile, Israel's Supreme Court blocked an Israeli attempt to try out a new policy aimed at deterring suicide bombers. The court stopped the expulsion of three relatives of Palestinian militants from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip for 15 days, ordering a formal hearing.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Israel-Palestinians.html