Deal Reported on Bethlehem Standoff
Tue May 7, 7:56 AM ET
By GREG MYRE, Associated Press Writer
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - The mayor of Bethlehem said Tuesday that a deal has been reached to end the 36-day standoff at the Church of the Nativity, with 13 of the suspected militants holed up in the shrine to be deported to Italy by the end of the day. Israel said agreement was very close.
One of the top wanted men in the church, built over Jesus' traditional birthplace, said he and the 12 others have agreed to go into exile. Another 26 gunmen would be transferred from the besieged compound to the Gaza Strip (news - web sites), said the wanted man, Abdullah Daoud, the head of Palestinian intelligence in Bethlehem.
"If nothing goes wrong, I expect to be deported to Italy with my colleagues this afternoon," Daoud told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
However, Italy said it wouldn't accept any unilateral decisions regarding the deportees — an indication that the government has felt left out of the loop in negotiations to end the standoff. Italian officials said Italy has not been asked to receive the 13 Palestinians, but that it would evaluate a request if it was made.
A resolution of the conflict was expected to lead to a speedy Israeli troop withdrawal from Bethlehem, effectively ending Israel's military offensive in the West Bank, launched March 29 against Palestinian militants after a wave of deadly suicide bombings in Israel.
In Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) was to meet later Tuesday with President Bush (news - web sites), who has been pushing for an end to Israeli incursions into Palestinian-run areas.
In Bethlehem, Mayor Hanna Nasser, a Palestinian, said a few logistical problems needed to be worked out to end the standoff. "We are glad that the tragedy has ended," he said, adding that he believed the deal could be implemented by the end of the day.
An Israeli army spokesman, Lt. Col. Olivier Rafowicz, said the sides were finalizing the last details and were "very, very close" to a deal, but not there yet.
More than 200 people fled into the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem's main landmark, ahead of invading Israeli forces on April 2.
They included several dozen gunmen, including some the Israelis say were involved in attacks against Israelis. Also inside are civilians, clerics and police, as well as 10 demonstrators who slipped past the Israelis into the church last week to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
Early Tuesday, the 39 gunmen in the church signed documents saying they agreed to their intended destination — Gaza and Italy, respectively, said a source in the church, adding that those in exile would have to remain abroad until there is a Palestinian state.
Those slated for deportation came under some last-minute pressure not to accept. The leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, called one of his followers in the compound, Aziz Abayat, and told him that in going into exile, he would not have the group's backing. "Sheik Yassin told us that ... anyone who accepts exile does not represent the movement's position," Abayat said.
A senior leader of Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s Fatah (news - web sites) movement in the West Bank, Hussein al-Sheik, criticized the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) for accepting exile as an option, saying it set a dangerous precedent. Deportations are considered by many Palestinians as the bitterest of punishments. Israel ended the practice a decade ago.
As word spread in Bethlehem that the standoff might end soon, some of relatives of those slated for deportation flocked to Manger Square, hoping to be able to say goodbye to those inside the church.
Zahia Khamis, 72, came to bid farewell to her nephew, Anan, an activist in the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a militia linked to Arafat's Fatah movement. Speaking to her nephew by mobile phone, she said: "I am crying because you are leaving your town. I know it is not your choice, but take care."
Khamis said her nephew told her he had no option but to accept exile.
The outline of the Bethlehem deal was put together in intensive negotiations over the past few days. The CIA (news - web sites), Vatican (news - web sites) and European Union (news - web sites) were all involved in efforts to end the confrontation.
Israel dropped its demand for the surrender or exile of all the gunmen in the church, and the Palestinians agreed to exile some of them. Over the past day, the haggling has been over the number to be exiled.
Before dawn Tuesday, two Palestinian liaison officers with the Israeli military, Ribhi Arafat and Farouk Amin, entered the Church of the Nativity to obtain the agreement of the 13 to being sent into exile.
According to a Palestinian list of names obtained by The Associated Press, nine Al Aqsa militia men, three Hamas members and Daoud are slated for deportation.
Several of those on the list are accused by Israel of involvement in bombing and shooting attacks on Israelis. One of the Al Aqsa gunmen, Ibrahim Moussa Abayat, killed two Israelis and an American, Avi Boaz, according to Israel.
Daoud denied Israel's allegations that he organized attacks on Israelis, produced explosives, smuggling weapons, and provided shelter to members of terror groups. The intelligence chief, who holds a B.A. in political science from a West Bank university, said he hoped to continue his education in Italy.
Outside the church, in Manger Square, Israeli armored vehicles patrolled the area. Israeli troops brought down a crane, which had dangled cameras to give the Israelis a view of the compound, made up of the 4th-century basilica itself and churches, hostels and monasteries around it.
In Bethlehem's open-air vegetable market near Manger Square, Israeli troops found nine hidden pipe bombs Tuesday, and blew them up in controlled explosions.
In Washington, a key issue in the Bush-Sharon talks is expected to be Arafat's role in future peace talks. Israel wants Arafat sidelined, but the United States has been pressing Sharon to deal with Arafat has the leader of the Palestinians.
Addressing U.S. Jewish leaders late Monday, Sharon said that "structural reforms in the Palestinian Authority" were needed before peace could be achieved, but did not mention Arafat by name.
Early Tuesday, Israeli forces entered the West Bank town of Tulkarem. The military said their mission was to stop the sending of suicide bombers and "attack the terrorist infrastructure." A military statement said the operation would last "a short time."
Also Tuesday, on the Gaza-Egypt border, a 17-year-old Palestinian was killed and two were wounded when Israeli forces opened fire while destroying a building, residents said. The Israeli military said armed Palestinians attacked soldiers, who returned fire, hitting two. The area is the scene of almost daily clashes. |
