Church of Nativity agreement states expelling six Palestinians, 35 for trials
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/7/2002

The Palestinian Hamas Islamic resistance movement on Monday expressed "concern and doubts" about the negotiations currently held between the Palestinian authority and Israel to settle the Church of the Nativity crisis.

An official source at the movement said in a statement that the movement "views with great concern and doubt these negotiations which are made to expel several Palestinians besieged in the church of the Nativity to Italy in the framework to end the siege of the Israeli occupation army of the city." The officials added "we, in the Hamas movement, denounce and condemn any agreement states to expel any Palestinian militant."

The statement said that at "the time when the besieged Palestinians suffer as a result of the Israeli crime, it is the duty of the Palestinian authority and the Arab states and all international forces to seek to release those militants and ensure their safety without giving concessions." The statement stressed "we in the Hamas movement consider accepting the principle of expulsion, regardless to its reasons, as an unprecedented, that might target many others and is a set back after the success of the expelled Palestinians in Marj al-Zohour ( in Lebanon in 1992) in downing the expulsion policy as a means of punishment practiced by the Israeli forces against the Palestinians.

The Israeli defense minister Benjamin Bin Aliazer expected that during the few coming hours a " settlement for the church of the Nativity." For his part, the governor of Bethlehem, Muhammad al-Madani, who has been since more than 35 days inside the religious complex beside other 120 Palestinians, many of them are accused by Israel as being terrorists and 30 clergymen, it is just "a matter of hours."

According to a high ranking Palestinian official, negotiators representing the two sides are discussing means of implementing the agreement which permits to liberate the church. His solution states to expel 6 Palestinians who are held inside the church since April 6th more expectedly to Italy, transporting other 35 to Gaza to be tried by the Palestinian authority and the others will be able to return back to their homes.

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