By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine 

Israeli authorities on Tuesday placed jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi in solitary confinement in central Israel’s Hadarim Prison, according to Palestinian activists.

At a news conference, activists affiliated with the Popular Campaign for the release of Palestinian Political Prisoners, a local NGO, said Barghouthi had been placed in solitary confinement to prevent him from "communicating with his supporters".

The move comes at a time when the Palestinian territories -- and much of the Middle East -- are witnessing large-scale protests against last week's decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Barghouthi, 58, has spent 15 years behind bars since being arrested by Israel in 2002 during the second Palestinian Intifada ("uprising") when he took part in armed resistance activities against the Israeli occupation.

While Israel views Barghouti as a security threat, opinion polls have consistently shown him to be the most popular choice among Palestinians to succeed Fatah leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.