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>From http://www.hcef.org/news/news/newsview.cfm?itemid=632&nType=News
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What Is The Real Story Around The Church Of Nativity?
22-Apr-02
Ghassan Andoni
It is amazing how much one can twist facts. But more amazing is how much people
can be influenced by twisted facts. 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 place. 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
Palestinians 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, Christian
Lawyer Tony Salman, and the governor of Bethlehem Mohammad Almadani
confirmed repeatedly that: the vast majority of the people inside 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, policemen from
the adjacent Palestinian police station, and some Palestinians who decided to fight
against the Israeli invasion of their city.
The Vatican repeatedly announced that all people inside the church are non-engaged
and only seeking a shelter that the church is welling to provide. The Vatican
repeatedly affirmed that there is no hostage- taking situation.
As the siege of the church continued, Israel employed a continued pressure to force
the people inside the church to surrender. Some methods used are:
Preventing any supplies of food. Currently people inside the church are starving.
Prevent evacuate dead bodies from inside the church. (Two bodies are still inside)
Prevent any medical help for scores of injured people (nuns are dealing with the
situation with primitive first aid means)
Positioning snipers all over the place and shooting at any moving target. So far two
people were killed inside the church and two more wounded including an Armenian
Priest.
Shooting randomly inside the church. This random shooting resulted in a fire that
destroyed three rooms inside the church. A Palestinian was shoot dead by a sniper
while attempting to extinguish the fire.
Throwing rounds of sound grenades into and around the church. This is going on all
daytime and especially at night.
Transmitting, through loudspeakers, sounds that are beyond the threshold of pain
into the church.
Attempted 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
the side of the Christians all over the world and from the side of the international
community, it is likely that Israel will upgrade its assault and might cause more
substantial damage.
All attempts to negotiate a settlement to this situation failed. Israel insists on
either
complete surrender without conditions or a deportation outside the country. They are
refusing the involvement of any third party in such efforts.
It is extremely worrying that with the increased pressure on Israel to leave the PA
areas, Israel might attack the church in an attempt to kill or arrest people inside. It
can happen, it might result in a massacre taking place inside the church, and it might
destroy the Church. Something urgent must be done to prevent this from happening.
Ghassan Andoni (a Christian who lives 100 meters away from the Church of Nativity)
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