More of the Real Truth Emerges from Bethlehem

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday April 24, 2002 00:20 by Donal Dublin

Monks escape Palestinians in Bethlehem standoff

Irish & European mainstream media and state-run radio and television continue to miss the plot in Bethlehem. Is it gross stupidity? Or could it possibly be anti-Israel bias? Anyway, here are the latest facts from the Jerusalem Post with Associated Press:

Three monks held captive in Bethlehem's Church of The Nativity were rescued earlier today by the army.

The clerics climbed onto a roof inside the compound and waved a sign to soldiers that said, "Save us."

Troops managed to get the three out of the compound.

The monks told the IDF that Palestinian gunmen in the compound had beaten some of them last night, desecrated crosses and had stolen gold artifacts, army sources said.

A planned meeting today between Israeli and Palestinian officials to bring an and to the hostage situation was due to begin soon.

Among the Palestinian negotiators were Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Nasser and Tourism Minister Mitri Abu Aita.

The composition of the Israeli delegation was not immediately known.

Canon Andrew White, an envoy of the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, also participated in the session, Palestinian officials said.

To read more about the standoff, click here.

Soldiers surrounding the compound last night returned fire after Palestinian gunmen began shooting at them and the gunbattle caused a fire to break out near the living quarters of the Orthodox Church in the compound.

The army allowed a Palestinian fire truck to enter the compound and extinguish the blaze.

In other developments, two Palestinians surrendered to soldiers, bringing the total number of Palestinians who have left the compound to 25 since the army's entry into Bethlehem on April 2.

Last night soldiers spotted six Palestinians leaving the Latin Church in the complex. At least one of them was armed and opened fire at soldiers deployed nearby. The soldiers returned fire and the six fled into a house near the Latin Churc