JERUSALEM - Israeli prison officials are considering using jailhouse barbecues to entice hundreds of Palestinians prisoners to break a hunger strike launched this week to protest conditions, a spokesman said Monday.

About 1,600 prisoners began the strike Sunday, demanding the right to family visits and greater communication with the outside world. Organizers said the rest of the 7,500 Palestinian detainees being held by Israel will join the protest by the end of the week.

Israeli officials countered by imposing new sanctions on the prisoners. As the protest continued into its second day Monday, prisons spokesman Ofer Lefler said authorities were considering grilling meats near the prisoners, hoping the enticing aroma would weaken their resolve.

“We look at psychological means to deal with problems like this,” Lefler said, saying the tactic has been used in other parts of the world. “Our interest is to return prisoners to eating as soon as possible.” He said no decision had been made on whether to begin the threatened cookouts.

“…and if that doesn’t work, we move on to ice cream trucks. Either that, or running over their parents’ houses with tanks. Maybe helicopter-launched missiles at their children, maybe a fish fry. It’s a coin toss.”

I hope this hunger striking catches on. If every Palestinian would-be suicide bomber in Israel started getting all Gandhi on their asses, lying down in front of tanks and singing “We Shall Overcome,” this whole thing would be over in a year. More flies with honey, etc etc. Plus, apparently the government response to this behavior is holding tailgate parties, so, bonus.