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Nativity

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   http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=02042002-074429-4344r

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=02042002-074429-4344r

Church of Nativity scene of Mideast battle

By Saud Abu Ramadan
United Press International
From the International Desk
Published 4/3/2002 9:37 AM

GAZA, April 3 (UPI) -- Two Palestinian militants killed Wednesday in the
compound of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity were among 10 people
slain in Israel's self-described "uncompromising war," which also has
kept Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat confined to what is left of his
Ramallah headquarters.

Palestinians said two members of the militant Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades,
affiliated with Arafat's Fatah faction, were killed in an exchange of fire with
Israeli troops in the yard outside the church, which is built above a cave
believed to be the manger where Jesus Christ was born.

"Can you imagine? Can you believe it? They are attacking the Church of
the Nativity, the Syrian Orthodox Church, and burning and demolishing
mosques," Arafat told Al Jazeera television in an interview.

Israel has besieged the church since Tuesday and has reported gunfire
from inside. Palestinian gunmen are holed up inside the church.

Eyewitnesses also said Israeli troops seized several of Arafat's private
cars and were driving through Bethlehem. Two others Palestinians also
were killed in the town.

Palestinian medical sources said six Palestinians were killed in the
northern West Bank refugee camp of Jenin as dozens of Israeli army
tanks and armored vehicles reoccupied the town and tried to break into
the camp. The dead included a nurse and three militants, one a local Al
Aqsa Martyr's Brigades leader.

Tanks fired shells at Palestinian houses, witnesses said.

Palestinian militants damaged an Israeli armored vehicle and a bulldozer
and clashed with an army unit as they tried to enter the refugee camp,
residents said. Israeli radio reported one soldier sustained a non-life
threatening injury.

The intensified Israeli action, which began last week after a spate of
suicide-bomb attacks, has seen its tanks and troops take over key West
Bank locations, including Arafat's Ramallah headquarters.

"We must fight this terrorism, in an uncompromising war to uproot these
savages, to dismantle their infrastructure, because there is no
compromise with terrorists," Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said
when the action began.

Arafat's building has been heavily damaged, but Israel has said it would
not harm the Palestinian leader.

A proposal Tuesday by Sharon to exile Arafat was rejected by the
Palestinians.

The International Committee of the Red Cross in Jerusalem described the
situation in the West Bank, especially Ramallah, as "very serious." It
reported a shortage of medicine and accused the Israelis of attacking
hospitals, preventing ambulances from reaching areas with casualties,
and abusing nurses.

In Gaza City, Palestinian and foreign employees of the various U.N.
agencies protested in front of the office of Terje Larsen, the top U.N.
official in the region.

Marwan Al Kafarna, the UNSCO media coordinator, said the employees
were protesting "the widespread Israeli army aggression on our people
and the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank."

The demonstrators waved U.N. and Palestinian flags and chanted
slogans. "Israel is not above international law," they chanted.

A demonstration organized by Arab and Israeli peace activists at the
southern entrance to Ramallah ended after Israeli troops dispersed
protesters with tear gas. The demonstrators called on the Israeli
government to end its offensive in the Palestinian territories and free
Arafat.

In Cairo Wednesday, Palestinian Planning and International Cooperation
Minister Nabil Shaath called on Egypt and Jordan to sever diplomatic ties
with Israel.

"I believe that it is about time that Egypt and Jordan cut their diplomatic
relations with Israel following the latest Israeli invasion of Palestinian
territories," Shaath told reporters.

Shaath was in Cairo to garner Arab support for the Palestinian intifada.
He made his remarks following meetings with delegates of the
Cairo-based Arab League member states.

Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab states that have signed peace
treaties with Israel, in 1979 and 1994 respectively, have said in the past
they would not sever ties with the Jewish state.

(With Joshua Brilliant in Tel Aviv, Israel)

Copyright © 2002 United Press International





16 killed { March 5 2002 }
Arafat emerges { May 2 2002 }
Attacked reporters
Bethlehem church { April 16 2002 }
Bethlehem gun fire { October 22 2001 }
Church sniper { April 4 2002 }
Church sniper2
Gaza strip alone { May 10 2002 }
Gaza strip { May 10 2002 }
Gunfire nativity
Hrw israel0502 [pdf]
Inquiry blocked { April 24 2002 }
Israel cancels bethlehem withdrawal
Israel pullout1
Israel pullout2 { April 16 2002 }
Israel pullout3 { April 16 2002 }
Israel pullout4
Israeli jenin film { July 25 2002 }
Jenin atrocities
Jenin massacre { April 18 2002 }
Jenin warcrimes { April 22 2002 }
Journalist killed
Journalists { April 2 2002 }
Mary { March 14 2002 }
Monks nativity
Nativity lies { April 3 2002 }
Nativity
Nativity2
Pa vandal
Plans big assault { March 25 2002 }
Priest1
Priest2
Rally for pullout { May 12 2002 }
Revoked journalists
Revoked journalists2
Shells navity { October 22 2001 }
Un calls withdrawl
Un israel { April 15 2002 }
Un jenin report { August 1 2002 }
Un report flawed { August 2 2002 }
Westbank brokendreams { May 7 2002 }

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