Palestinian officer: the exiled, evacuees will not be arrested, detained
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/11/2002

A high ranking Palestinian officer said that the 13 Palestinians who were transported to Cyprus will not be jailed in the countries where they will be exiled to.

The officer who asked not to be identified said that "the conditions of their stay abroad are based on four principles: They will be free and they will be treated as humanitarian cases; they will be provided with houses and be able to follow up their studies and lastly their expulsion is temporary." The said Palestinian officer took part in the negotiations on the agreement which resulted in ending the siege imposed by the Israeli army for 39 days at the church of the Nativity.

Meantime, European diplomatic sources said that the 13 Palestinians will be free in the countries which will receive them. A Spanish diplomatic source said that their legal status ( the 13 Palestinians) and hosting states will be discussed during the meeting of the public affairs council in the European Union on Monday in Brussels. The Spanish diplomat added: "we do not know how to explain those ( Palestinians). No judicial decision was taken to exile or alienate them. They are leaving because there is a precondition imposed by Israel to settle the issue of the church of Nativity in Bethlehem." The source stressed that the countries which will receive those Palestinians are not determined yet, ruling out non- governmental organization and the ICRC to be responsible for them in the various hosting countries.

Meantime, a high ranking official at the Palestinian security department said that the 26 Palestinian activists who arrived in Gaza after they had left the Church of Nativity will not be jailed nor tried.

According to an agreement recently held between Israel and the Palestinians, this group of 26 men, chased by Israel to Gaza and they vowed, in writing, to give up "violence."

Col. Salem Dardanah said at Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza they "have arrived in a part of Palestine and they are free in their country." He added they will "not be detained for one hour nor be tried." Another official at the Palestinian security asked not to be identified said that the 26 men were first taken to a building that belongs the to the ministry of youths in the Palestinian authority in the downtown of Gaza where they will stay for unlimited time.

Previous Stories:
  Church of Nativity evacuees to leave for Cyprus, Israel prepares incursion in Rafah, attacking Gaza   (5/10/2002)
  UN General Assembly condemned assaults by Israeli occupying forces against the Palestinian people   (5/9/2002)
  Asked by Assembly, UN Secretariat will report on Jenin, other Palestinian   (5/9/2002)
  Jewish Rabbi: Israel a state against God!   (5/9/2002)
  Israel freezes Bethlehem agreement for lack a host for the expelled Palestinians   (5/8/2002)
  Church of Nativity agreement states expelling six Palestinians, 35 for trials   (5/7/2002)

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