month old stand-off between Palestinian gunmen trapped inside Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity and Israeli soldiers, Israel radio and news agencies reported. After negotiations that involved European negotiators and the Vatican, the over 100 Palestinian gunmen inside the church of Jesus birthplace were apparently promised good treatment by Israeli soldiers, who kept the church surrounded for 33 days.
Israeli military officials defended the siege, saying Israel wanted Palestinian militants, who allegedly used civilians and church officials as human shields.
GUNMEN
The Cable News Network (CNN) quoted Palestinian sources as saying that 123 Palestinian gunmen were inside the church along with about 30 clergy members. Earlier reports said up to 200 Palestinian gunmen entered the church when the stand-off began.
Although most details were not immediately available, it is believed that 35 Palestinian gunmen will face trial in nearby Gaza, while 6 others will be exiled, most likely to Italy. Israel had earlier said that the gunmen on its wanted list could either leave the territory indefinitely or face Israeli justice.
News about a diplomatic breakthrough came as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon planned to meet United States officials Monday and President George W. Bush Tuesday in Washington to discuss the Middle East crisis.
STUMBLING BLOCK
The stand-off around the Church of the Nativity, the site where especially Catholic Christians believe Jesus was born, was seen as a major stumbling block in the upcoming talks. US officials have reportedly said they would like the impasse resolved within the next day, to improve the prospects for the Bush-Sharon meeting.
Sharon said he wanted to present "a serious plan, maybe the most serious" to reach peace to President Bush, which the prime ministers’ aids suggested includes a regional peace conference. In addition Sharon was expected to present a 100-page dossier that allegedly links Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat with terrorism.
However Palestinian authorities have described Sharon as "a liar", while US representatives and even some within the Israeli Government do not support the prime minister’s efforts to side-line the Palestinian leader.
TENSIONS CONTINUE
There were further signs Sunday, May 5, that even without a stand-off in Bethlehem, the situation in the area will remain volatile. Israeli officials admitted that Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian women and her two small children after a bomb went off under an Israeli tank.
The military said soldiers fired at the three people, after mistakenly believing they were assailants. Palestinian medical workers identified the victims as a 30-year old woman, a 4 year old boy and a 3-year old girl.
Christians living in the area, and other missionary organizations have urged believers around the world to pray for the troubled region.
