Barghouthi, 45, denied involvement in ambushes by militants from his Fatah faction that killed five people in 2001 and 2002.

A Palestinian lawmaker, he refused to recognise the jurisdiction of the Tel Aviv court that convicted him on murder charges last month but acquitted him in 21 other killings, citing insufficient evidence.

Barghouthi, a top West Bank leader of Fatah, said throughout the case he opposed the killing of innocent people in a Palestinian uprising that began in 2000.

To applause from his supporters, he told the Israeli judges on Sunday: "Our people will defeat this occupation."

Peace activists protested against the trial outside the court house, shouting, "Peace will come when terror ends."

Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet appeared set to approve a watered-down version of his Gaza pullout plan yesterday that could delay settlement evacuation for months but save his government from collapse.

A compromise between Sharon and hard-line ministers means the cabinet would give support in principle to his proposal to "disengage" from conflict with the Palestinians but without any mention of removing Jewish settlements, political sources said.

The deal, reached as the cabinet met to debate and vote on the plan, calls for Sharon to issue a separate statement pledging to start dismantling Gaza settlements next March but only after another ministerial vote. It would mark a major retreat by Sharon, who had vowed to push through his full, US-backed plan despite opposition.

Tensions in the region rose further when a Tel Aviv court sentenced Barghouthi, whose lawyer said he would not appeal.

Dressed in dark brown prison overalls, Barghouti dominated the short hearing, asking politely to speak and doing so despite a number of requests from the judges to sit down.

He said he did not recognise the court's authority.

"The Israeli courts are a partner to the Israeli occupation," he said. "The judges are just like pilots who fly planes and drop bombs."

He rose through the ranks of Yasser Arafat's Fatah organisation and has credibility among ordinary people, especially in the West Bank.

It is thought that the conviction will bolster his popularity, second only to that of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, even further.

He is untainted by accusations of corruption and is admired for his uncompromising calls to fight the Israeli occupation.

A fluent Hebrew-speaker, Marwan Barghouti is seen by most Israelis as a terrorist, but for many years before he took on his prominent role in the uprising, he was involved in negotiations with the Israelis.