WEST BANK: ISRAELI FORCES SET UP BARRICADES AND METAL DETECTOR AROUND SIEGE OF THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE

Record ID: 400073

  • Title: WEST BANK: ISRAELI FORCES SET UP BARRICADES AND METAL DETECTOR AROUND SIEGE OF THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE
  • Date: 10th May 2002
  • Summary: (W7) BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (MAY 8, 2002) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) 1. HAS CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY 0.06 2. HAS ZOOM IN PRIESTS AND CHURCH LAWYER AND NEGOTIATOR INSIDE CHURCH, TONY SALMAN (CHECK SHIRT - IN FRONT) WALKING THROUGH METAL DETECTOR/ WALKING TOWARDS ISRAELI SOLDIERS/ SHAKE HANDS/ WALK THROUGH BARRICADES 1.52 3. HAS CHURCH OF THE NATIV
  • Embargoed: 25th May 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVA3W70M1WFL5FM9QXRL57AKMJLV
  • Story Text: In a sign that talks over the church of the Nativity
    could be moving ahead, Israeli forces have set up barricades
    and a metal detector around the church and priests and a
    church negotiator have emerged to speak to Israeli army
    officials.

    Negotiators held new talks on Wednesday (May 8) to try
    to reach a deal for civilians and some militants to leave
    Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, surrounded by Israeli
    troops, sources close to the talks said.

    Negotiators were trying to revive parts of a deal to end
    Israel's 37-day-old siege of the church after it stalled on
    Tuesday (May 7) when Italy refused to take 13 militants whom
    Israeli and Palestinian officials had agreed would be sent
    into exile.

    The sources said the new talks were aimed at allowing the
    more than 100 civilians, including priests, nuns and foreign
    peace activists, to leave the church. The 13 most-wanted
    militants would stay behind to await a decision on their fate.

    The sources said there was also a possibility that 26
    other militants inside the shrine since Israeli troops entered
    Bethlehem on April 2 would be transferred to the Gaza Strip as
    previously agreed at negotiations.

    In a sign that talks could be moving ahead, at least four
    robed priests emerged briefly from the church, spoke to
    Israeli army officials and then went back inside. Israeli
    forces
    surrounding the church set up barricades and a metal detector.

    The barricades had previously been erected on Tuesday amid
    speculation that the men would be evacuated, but were
    dismantled on Wednesday afternoon as the talks stalled.


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