An Israeli court sentenced Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti to five consecutive life terms for his role in attacks that killed four Israelis and a Greek monk.

It is the maximum possible sentence possible.

He was also sentenced to 40 years in prison - two consecutive terms of 20 years each - for a botched car bombing at a Jerusalem mall and membership in a terror organization.

Marwan Barghouti restrained in Israeli court

Barghouti was convicted of the crimes last month. Barghouti is believed to be one of the key organizers of the current Palestinian uprising and had been seen as a possible successor to Yasser Arafat.

Barghouti and his supporters have dismissed the trial and the verdict as political and illegal. On his way into the courthouse to hear his sentence he remained defiant. "Our people will win and the occupation will end. It will definitely get to an end," he said.

His wife Fadwa Barghouti, said she was upset by the verdict, but resigned to her fate.

"I feel like any other woman in world whose husband is in Israeli jail. Of course I will worry about him and the future of my kids, it is very difficult for me. But the other hand we are part of the Palestinian people. I will take such positions even though it's hard. I will continue the path of Marwan until freedom."

Israeli police arrested Barghouti in Ramallah two years ago, suspecting him of involvement in several attacks, including the one in the Tel Aviv restaurant. Barghouti was a sitting member of the Palestinian legislative assembly and widely touted as a possible successor to Arafat. Prosecutors had asked the court for five consecutive life sentences for each of the convictions.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has promised to do whatever it takes, even kidnap Israelis to trade for Barghouti's freedom.