Israel has released a video that appears to show the high-profile leader of a Palestinian hunger strike eating in prison. The prison service released the video of what it said was Marwan Barghouti eating cookies and confectionary on two occasions in late April and early May.

Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa, claimed the video was “fabricated” and “intended to break the morale of prisoners”, after more than 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails joined Barghouti in refusing food from 17 April. On Israel’s part, a minister appeared to suggest prison officials had been involved in introducing the food into the cell where Barghouti was being held in solitary confinement with the aim of tempting him to eat.

The release of the footage is the latest development in a fierce battle to control the narrative of the prisoners’ hunger strike, which its leaders insist is for improved conditions in Israeli prisons but which Israel says is for political reasons.(guardian)…[+]