wfn.org | Standoff at Nativity Church Explained

[JerusalemRelOrgs@aol.com]

For additional information contact:
Fr. Raed Abusahlia
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
P.O.Box  14152 - Jerusalem 97500
E-mail address: latinpat@actcom.co.il 

or

Ghassan Andoni
The Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People
64 Star Street, P.O.Box 24
Beit Sahour - Palestine
www.rapprochement.org

BELLS OF BETHLEHEM ARE SILENT

BETHLEHEM, APRIL 21, 2002--For the third consecutive Sunday the Christian 
people of Bethlehem will not be able to attend Catholic, Greek or Armenian 
Orthodox services in the Church of the Nativity, because the Basilica has 
been under siege for more than 18 days.  

The residents of Bethlehem have been under strict curfew since the beginning 
of the invasion of Bethlehem. 

It is the first time in recorded history that the bills of Bethlehem are 
silent, failing to sing the joyful song of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Prince of Peace. 

Following is an explanation of the situation inside the Church of the 
Nativity:

By Ghassan Andoni 
Director of  The Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People
and a Christian who lives 100 meters from the Church of Nativity
 
In relation to the Church of Nativity, two stories are being widely 
circulated. 
 
The Israeli story:  A large group of armed "terrorists" entered the Church of 
Nativity.   They took dozens of civilians, including Christian priests and 
monks as hostages and are using them as human shields to launch attacks on 
the Israeli army, which is surrounding the historic church.  Therefore, 
Israel is attempting to rescue the hostages and capture the "terrorists". 
 
The Palestinian story:  As the Israeli army invaded Bethlehem and Israeli 
tanks approached Manger Square, around 240 Palestinians--including some armed 
men entered the church seeking a safe shelter.  Armed Palestinians laid down 
their arms and are seeking the protection of the Christian clergy inside the 
church. 
 
Who are the people inside the church?
 
All resources from inside the church, including Father Ibrahim Faltas, a 
Christian lawyer Tony Salman, and the governor of Bethlehem District, 
Mohammad Almadani, have confirmed repeatedly that the vast majority of the 
people inside the Basilica are innocent civilians who ran into the church to 
save their lives. 

The armed Palestinians who entered the church were mostly members of 
Palestinian Authority tourism police, officers from the adjacent Palestinian 
police station, and some men who decided to fight against the Israeli 
invasion of their city. 
 
The Vatican has repeatedly announced that all people inside the church are 
non-engaged and only seeking a shelter (sanctuary) that the church is welling 
to provide.  The Vatican has repeatedly affirmed that this is not a 
hostage-taking situation. 
 
As the siege of the church continued, Israel employed continued pressure to 
force the people inside the church to surrender. Some methods used are:
 
- Preventing any supplies of food from being delivered. Currently people 
inside the church are starving.

- Preventing the removal of two dead bodies from inside the church. 

- Preventing medical help for scores of injured people (nuns are dealing with 
the situation with primitive first aid means.) 

- Positioning snipers throughout the area with orders to shoot at any moving 
target.  So far two people were killed inside the church and two more 
wounded, including an Armenian priest.

- Shooting randomly toward the church. This random shooting resulted in a 
fire that destroyed three rooms within the church complex.  A Palestinian was 
shot dead by a sniper while attempting to extinguish the fire. 

- Throwing rounds of stun grenades into and around the church.  This 
continues especially at night.

- Transmitting, through loudspeakers, sounds that cause pain  to individuals 
who are neighbors and to those into the church. 
 
- Attempting twice to burst into the church from its eastern entrance.  In 
one attempt they destroyed one of the church gates using explosives.
 
So far, and aside from the suffering of people inside the church, 
considerable damage have been done to the church itself.  (With the little 
protest and concern from Christians all over the world and from the 
international community generally, it is likely that Israel will upgrade its 
assault and could cause more substantial damage.)
 
All attempts to negotiate a settlement to this situation have failed. Israel 
insists on either complete surrender without conditions or a deportation 
outside the country.  Israeli authorities have refused the involvement of any 
third party in negotiations.
 
It is extremely worrying that with the increased pressure on Israel to leave 
the Palestinian areas, Israel may attack the church in an attempt to kill or 
arrest people inside.  This could result in a massacre inside the 
centuries-old church, that itself could be severely damaged or destroyed. It 
is urgent that something be done to prevent this from happening.        

-end-