CIA Blamed As Deal To End Bethlehem Siege Falters

Independent (UK) ^ | 5-8-2002 | Phil Reeves

[blam]

CIA blamed as deal to end Bethlehem siege falters

By Phil Reeves in Bethlehem
08 May 2002

The CIA was suspected of a diplomatic blunder yesterday that disrupted a deal which would have ended the 36-day siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

An agreement stalled at the final hurdle after Italy refused to accept 13 Palestinians, regarded by Israel as terrorists. The Italian government com-plained it had received no formal request to take in the men.

An official blamed the Americans and Britain for the oversight, and complained of being treated in "an arrogant and intolerable" manner.Recent talks to end the siege have been led by the CIA's station chief in Israel. Britain has not been directly involved, apart from organising a RAF flight to transport the men, which was banned from Italian airspace.

Last night Washington was pressuring the Italian government to change its stance to enable the deal to go through, releasing more than 130 people who took refuge in the church.

Israeli soldiers were preparing for the departure of those inside, who include several dozen armed men, by erecting metal detectors in Manger Square afterofficials on both sides had confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Under it, 13 men – 10 from Fatah and three from Hamas – would be sent to Italy. A further 26 men were to be taken to the Gaza Strip. The rest, who range from nuns and friars to the governor of Bethlehem, were to be allowed to go free.

The White House had hoped to end to the siege before yesterday's meeting between President George Bush and Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel.

American hopes had been raised after the release of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from house arrest last Thursday. Heartened by this success, the CIA's station chief in Tel Aviv, Jeff O'Connell, was placed in charge of the siege negotiations with orders to resolve it as quickly as possible. Israel's security service Shin Bet also joined the talks.

But it appears the new team sidelined the previous negotiators who had been working for days.

Allegations were flying yesterday over exactly why the Italian government was not formally told that it was going to take in the 13 Palestinians. The issue was raised in informal and indirect contacts between the Vatican and the Italian government.

"They seem simply to have forgotten to tell the Italians," said one source.

In an angry response, the Italian government issued a statement saying that the possibility of receiving the Palestinians in Italy had never been officially raised, and "at the current state of affairs, it cannot be considered".

Matters were complicated by a demand on Monday night from Yasser Arafat that the 13 Palestinian men spent several days in transit in Egypt, a move intended to soften criticism of their exile. But yesterday Egypt was refusing to allow them to enter unless their final destination in a third country was agreed.

[sinkspur]

Why would ANY country take in a bunch of Hamas terrorists?

Why don't we tell Israel to just shoot them?

[Shermy]

Notice how the lefty press never mentions that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc. have declined to accept their brethren. Of course, this would give "context."

[muawiyah]

The CIA talks to a lot of people in Italy - all the time. I am just sure they had a deal made with somebody, probably the guys with the olive oil business in NY and the cheese business in Wisconsin! (ROTFLMAO)

[PsyOp]

Sounds to me like these guys were never intended to reach Italy in the first place and our only mistake was not making sure the Italians knew it so they would not do the sensible thing and openly object.

[eno_]

He he... "So where do ya wanna whack 'em?" "How about Italy, it's nice this time of year." "Did you buy your plane tickets yet?" "Naw, let's see if they go for it first."

[OldFriend]

Wow, revising history that's barely an hour old. Fact is that the Vatican agreed to take the terrorists and the political leadership rightly said NO THANKS.....

[RobRoy]

Why would ANY country take in a bunch of Hamas terrorists?

Dog food shortage?

[dalebert]

Oh sure. Blame it on the CIA.

[monkeyshine]

Smoke bombs won't do any damage to the structure, but will force the people to flee. Israel should announce repeatedly and loudly that they are going to fill the church with smoke and that the people in the church should get out and enter one of the buses that will be lined up in front of the exits when they do. Anyone who leaves the church with a weapon in hand will be shot by snipers. Anyone who leaves the church and doesn't enter a bus will be shot by snipers. When the smoke clears, IDF troops will enter the church and shoot anyone still remaining inside.

This one is too easy to resolve. Why all the diplomatic wrangling over it?

[blam]

"This one is too easy to resolve. Why all the diplomatic wrangling over it?"

Beats me. IDF: "You have 30 minutes to come out or we are coming in." Done deal!

[katnip]

maybe the church is wired with explosives?

That is the only conclusion I can come to also.
Wouldn't they just love to blow up the church,(and of course blame IDF for it),
have some more martyrs, then the site is a "holy" place to them.
Then they can set about defiling it by building a mosque on top of it.
That is why the Christian priests and nuns will NOT leave.