An Israeli court has sentenced a popular Palestinian leader who was once seen as a possible successor to Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to life in prison. Marwan Barghouti was convicted last month of five killings. He rejected the sentence saying “The Israeli courts are a partner to the Israeli occupation. The judges are just like pilots who fly planes and drop bombs.” In other news from Israel, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s cabinet has approved a watered-down plan for Israel to dismantle Jewish settlements in Gaza.