Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) responded on Monday night to the publication of Marwan Barghouti's article in The New York Times:
"Barghouti is not [an ordinary] prisoner," Hotovely said. "He is a convicted murderer and a terrorist."
"The New York Times has provided a platform to a terrorist without noting the fact that he planned and carried out the cold blooded murder of Jews simply for having been Jews.
"This is not a matter of freedom of speech. It is anarchy. When a major newspaper with a reputation for responsible journalism becomes a platform for murderers, it provides legitimacy for terrorism. This is a very disappointing decision by the editors which seriously undermines the credibility of The New York Times."
Marwan Barghouti led the 'Al-Aqsa Brigade' during the Second Intifada, directly causing the deaths of many Israelis. Convicted in 2004 and sentenced to five life sentences and forty years in prison, he is leading the current hunger strike. His recent op-ed in The New York Times, explained his reasons for launching the hunger strike.