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Despite More Killings, IDF to Hand Bethlehem Over to PA
Israel National News ^ | June 28, 2005

Posted on 06/28/2005 8:36:28 AM PDT by Alouette

Despite an uspurge in terror, with four Jews killed in the past two weeks, Israel is planning on handing over Bethlehem to PA control. The IDF is opposed but must follow Sharon's orders to withdraw.

Despite an upsurge in attacks carried out by Arab terrorists originating from Palestinian Authority, the government is going forward with plans to transfer security control of Bethlehem to the PA by the weekend.

The decision to go ahead with the handover was made yesterday in the Prime Minister’s office. The IDF, citing the murder of four Israelis over the past two weeks, opposes the move, but has been ordered by the government to carry it out.

According to an IDF report, last Friday’s murder of two Jewish youngsters near the town of Bet Hagai was facilitated by the government’s decision to remove road blocks in the Hebron area in order to ease restrictions on Arab traffic.

Senior army commanders have warned that handing over another city to PA control (Tulkarem and Kalkilya were handed over last March) would be interpreted by the PA as a form of Israeli acceptance of Arab terror, which shows no signs of abating.

IDF commanders also warned government officials that handing Bethlehem over to PA, under present conditions, would turn that city into a refuge for terrorists who would exploit the absence of the IDF to launch terrorist attacks.

During the Oslo war, Bethlehem and its environs were used as bases for launching suicide attacks against Israelis. Arab terrorists used the city’s proximity to Jerusalem to launch mortar attacks on the Gilo neighborhood. The attacks stopped only after the IDF retook the city during Operation Defensive Shield, which followed the April 2002 bombing of the Park hotel in Netanya.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reportedly is going ahead with the handover in order to make good on his promise to PA chief Mahmoud Abbas last February in Sharm E-Sheikh, to roll back the IDF presence in Judea and Samaria and restore the security situation that existed prior to Operation Defensive Shield.

Before that operation, the PA was responsible for providing security and fighting terrorism in Arab populated cities in Judea and Samaria. Israel relinquished control of those cities following the implementation of the ill-fated Oslo accords in 1995.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bethlehem; palestinians; roadmap; terror
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1 posted on 06/28/2005 8:36:29 AM PDT by Alouette
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To: Alouette

Looks like the days of Christian pilgramage to the birthplace of Christ are over.


2 posted on 06/28/2005 8:37:43 AM PDT by Cyber Liberty (© 2005, Ravin' Lunatic since 4/98)
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To: Alouette

???
Bethlehem is already in Pennsylvania - - not too far from Allentown.
And what's Israel doing with the place anyway?


3 posted on 06/28/2005 8:37:58 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Alouette

For a second I was thinking this was Scrappleface, saying that the IDF was handing Bethlehem Pennsylvania back to "PA".


4 posted on 06/28/2005 8:38:22 AM PDT by Numbers Guy
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To: 1st-P-In-The-Pod; A Jovial Cad; A_Conservative_in_Cambridge; adam_az; af_vet_rr; agrace; ahayes; ...
FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

WARNING: This is a high volume ping list

5 posted on 06/28/2005 8:39:35 AM PDT by Alouette (The only thing learned from history is that nobody ever learns from history.)
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To: Cyber Liberty
Looks like the days of Christian pilgramage to the birthplace of Christ are over.

Indeed

During the Oslo war, Bethlehem and its environs were used as bases for launching suicide attacks against Israelis. Arab terrorists used the city’s proximity to Jerusalem to launch mortar attacks on the Gilo neighborhood.

6 posted on 06/28/2005 8:41:08 AM PDT by Zeppelin (If we lose the war on terror... http://www.ebaumsworld.com/waronterrorism.html)
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To: Lancey Howard; Numbers Guy

You guys beat me to it...


7 posted on 06/28/2005 8:41:58 AM PDT by RockinRight (Conservatism is common sense, liberalism is just senseless.)
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To: Alouette

"Israel is planning on handing over Bethlehem to PA control."

Why does the PA want this?

It means NOTHING to them.

Is Jerusalem next?


8 posted on 06/28/2005 8:47:44 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: Numbers Guy

I had to look twice at that too.

Another insane move that will NOT yield peace.


9 posted on 06/28/2005 8:49:27 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: Alouette

Sharon giving in to his liberal critics will only teach them another tragic lesson. The PA will only be happy when there is no Israel. To all the liberal Jews in Israel, be careful what you ask for....


10 posted on 06/28/2005 8:50:20 AM PDT by Ron in Acreage (It's the borders stupid! "ALLEN IN 08")
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To: nmh

But it means something to us. That's why they want it.


11 posted on 06/28/2005 9:02:48 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: Ron in Acreage
To all the liberal Jews in Israel, be careful what you ask for....

The same could be said of the UCC, PCUSA, and Anglican Church.

12 posted on 06/28/2005 9:04:08 AM PDT by Alouette (The only thing learned from history is that nobody ever learns from history.)
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To: Alouette; SJackson; Salem; Esther Ruth; Bombardier; NYer; Mark in the Old South; ...
I'm glad I was able to visit Bethlehem in 1986, when it was still controlled by Israel. It was a lovely place at the time. Lots of the typical souvenir hawkers like in the Old City of Jerusalem, but still it was a nice place back then.

I've heard numerous reports that the Amalekites have intimidated and harassed the Christians living in Bethlehem to the point where most have fled. I suppose pilgrimages to Bethlehem will be a trickle, if at all. Some people b***h about Israel this and Israel that, but when Israel controlled the place, it was kept up, pilgrims could freely come and visit, and the Christian population wasn't intimidated and harassed into leaving. As I've said at other times, the "christians" that did oppose Israel and want the Amalekites to take over will live to regret their foolishness, they didn't know when they had it good.
13 posted on 06/28/2005 9:20:30 AM PDT by Convert from ECUSA (tired of all the shucking and jiving)
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To: Alouette
One of my dreams was the visit the Holy Land.

To bad the liberal Israelis decided to give it back to the Arabs.
14 posted on 06/28/2005 9:27:15 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

Too bad so many Christians who live in Bethlechem thought the IDF and Israel were to blame and that "poor Palis were being oppressed". Let's see how long the PA allows Christianity to reamin in that region.


15 posted on 06/28/2005 9:41:25 AM PDT by Bella_Bru
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To: nmh

The rabid palesimians will loot the churches, and terrorize and kill the remaining non muzzie inhabitants.


16 posted on 06/28/2005 10:14:31 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
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To: redgolum
To bad the liberal Israelis decided to give it back to the Arabs.

Too bad the liberal Churches twisted their arms.

17 posted on 06/28/2005 10:27:17 AM PDT by Alouette (The only thing learned from history is that nobody ever learns from history.)
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To: Zeppelin
During the Oslo war, Bethlehem and its environs were used as bases for launching suicide attacks against Israelis. Arab terrorists used the city’s proximity to Jerusalem to launch mortar attacks on the Gilo neighborhood.

And they'll be doing it again.

18 posted on 06/28/2005 10:34:02 AM PDT by SJackson (Israel should know if you push people too hard they will explode in your faces, Abed. palestinian)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

..................

19 posted on 06/28/2005 10:34:32 AM PDT by SJackson (Israel should know if you push people too hard they will explode in your faces, Abed. palestinian)
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To: Alouette
Too bad the liberal Churches twisted their arms.

I will refrain on commenting on the decline of the Western Churches, as I will be forced to use words that would get me banned.

Let's just say I find that brand of liberal folly a bit smelly.

20 posted on 06/28/2005 10:59:03 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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