After 39 days, the Church of the Nativity siege is finally over. The 13 most heavily wanted terrorists - responsible for the murder of many Israelis - left the Bethlehem church this morning, boarded a British plane for Cyprus, and are currently being held under police guard in a Larnaca hotel. They will remain there until final arrangements for their permanent custody in other European countries and Canada are worked out. There were differing reports on whether or not they would be placed in prison in their new host countries. The 13 are to remain there between three and six years, unless a Palestinian state is established first, in which case they would be permitted to enter it.
Twenty-six others of the terrorists who held dozens of Christian clergymen hostage in the church for nearly six weeks arrived in PLO-controlled Gaza today, and were greeted like heroes by the local populace. One of them said, \"We agreed to leave as a humanitarian gesture… With the help of Allah, we will win and liberate our land.\"
In the third stage of the evacuation of the church this morning, 84 Christian clergymen left the building, underwent security checks, and returned to their homes. Finally, ten left-wing activists from abroad who originally refused to leave the building were removed; deportation proceedings against them have begun. The Israeli forces have now begun to evacuate their forces from Bethlehem.
Twenty-six others of the terrorists who held dozens of Christian clergymen hostage in the church for nearly six weeks arrived in PLO-controlled Gaza today, and were greeted like heroes by the local populace. One of them said, \"We agreed to leave as a humanitarian gesture… With the help of Allah, we will win and liberate our land.\"
In the third stage of the evacuation of the church this morning, 84 Christian clergymen left the building, underwent security checks, and returned to their homes. Finally, ten left-wing activists from abroad who originally refused to leave the building were removed; deportation proceedings against them have begun. The Israeli forces have now begun to evacuate their forces from Bethlehem.