Israel has formally charged the West Bank leader of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement with murder and terrorism.
Marwan Barghouti, 43, appeared handcuffed and flanked by police in a Tel Aviv court.
He made a brief statement to reporters before appearing in court to hear charges that he headed the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group linked to Fatah which has been responsible for a number of deadly attacks.
He was captured by Israeli forces in the invasion of Ramallah in April.
Israel has linked him to the deaths of dozens of Israelis and the wounding of hundreds more. If found guilty, he faces life behind bars.
His lawyer, Khadr Shkueirat, told the court that Barghouti, who is a Palestinian lawmaker as well as being Fatah's secretary general in the West Bank, refused to recognise the tribunal's legitimacy in trying him.
He also demanded that he be presented with the evidence against his client.
Judge Zvi Gorfinkel ordered the court into recess until 5 September. He also ordered that Barghouti be held until the end of the trial.
