Palestinian Nativity Church exiles in Italy claim they are under strain

Al Bawaba, the Middle East Gateway ^ | May 27 2002

[knighthawk]

The three Palestinians granted exile in Italy after the Israeli army siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity risk cracking under the strain of being so closely monitored, one of them told La Reppublica on Monday.

"When we arrived in Italy I asked the head of the Italian security service responsible for us not to track us too closely. I told him, “at least give us some personal space and autonomy or we could just explode”, Khaled Abu Nejmeh told the daily.

"We are all very tired. For the last two months we've being going from one siege to another, deprived of the affection of our loved ones," Abu Nejmeh told the paper, who said its reporter had met the men by chance at the home of the Palestinian Authority's representative in Rome.

"According to what we've been promised, and if God wills it, my children will arrive in Italy within a month or two and we can finally be together again," he expressed.

The two activists with Abu Nejmeh said relations between Muslims and Christians trapped in the church had been good during the 39-day siege, when they were largely without food or water.

One of them, Mohammad Said Atallah Salem, is accused by Israel of belonging to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an offshoot of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah group, and of planning two suicide attacks on Israeli targets in March.

He stated he had been responsible during the siege for the well-being of a group of 20 children aged between 10 and 15.

The third exile, Ibrahim Mohammad Salem Abayat, is accused by Israel of being a leading figure in Hamas and of perpetrating attacks against Israeli targets.

He said Muslims and Christians had respected each other during the bloody ordeal at the church.

"The priests celebrated mass twice a day and we said our five daily collective prayers but out of respect for the church we abstained from holding the traditional Friday sermon," he said.

[knighthawk]

Oh, poor people. What did they think? That the Italians let them go ahead and do some poisening of water or planning bombings?

[knighthawk]

Ping

[facedown]

"We are all very tired. For the last two months we've being going from one siege to another, deprived of the affection of our loved ones,"...

Well then you should have died and then you would have had the 72 virgins to be affectionate with.

...Abu Nejmeh told the paper, who said its reporter had met the men by chance at the home of the Palestinian Authority's representative in Rome.

Yeah, by a big fat chance!

[f.Christian]

Big bang---"explode"... bojinca!

[xJones]

... ?at least give us some personal space and autonomy or we could just explode, Khaled Abu Nejmeh told the daily.

. They can explode without the belts now?

[WSGilcrest]

...or we could just explode.

Isn't that the reason they're being watched?

[sarasmom]

...or we could just explode.

So the reason I should feel sorry for you is? Enjoy your stay.The Mossad will see to you in due time..one hopes.

[remaininlight]

I thought this was another humor piece form the onion.

[SupplySider]

"We are all very tired. For the last two months we've being going from one siege to another, deprived of the affection of our loved ones"

Boo hoo hoo. They could have walked out of that church any day with their hands up. Unlike the little children they've blown up who will never walk again.

Maybe alcohol withdrawl is the reason they are so nervous now.

[dighton]

“At least give us some personal space and autonomy or we could just explode.”

[genefromjersey]

Aw, jeez !

Maybe we could get somebody to fly over there and sing "Kumbaya" to them.

Oops ! Forgot the Italians are planning to ground their planes because of terror threats !

[AmericaUnited]

I told him, “at least give us some personal space and autonomy or we could just explode”, Khaled Abu Nejmeh told the daily.

Now for this bozo, you have to take that literally.

[CedarDave]

we could just explode

Too much pork and beans? Whoops, hold the pork!

[etabeta]

read the report in Repubblica, sickening. In spite of an order not to give interviews, they talked freely with the reporter. The whole tone of their talk was how good they are and how well they got along with the other people in the church, sharing the little food they had and protecting the children from the israeli snipers. It's this kind of reporting that convinces the Italians that the palestinians are oppressed and they fight for freedom. They should have run the reports from the priests who talked plenty about their hoarding the food for themselves and desecrating the church with their filth.

[Matt Young]

They need to go to the Vatican and pee once in a while.

[crystalk]

Their Jewish victims are under no strain. They are under the daisies. They are DEAD! Who do these creeps think they are? Every one of them should yet be hanged.

[brat]

"...claim they are under strain"

I'd rather see them under napalm.

[sheik yerbouty]

Life is tough! Not to worry, the Mossad will not allow them to suffer much longer!

[stumpy]

Hey Mossad, wait until he is with his family. Then KILL ALL OF THEM. Take terror home to the TERRORISTS. KILL THEM ALL. Kill the FAMILIES of ALL THE TERRORISTS.

Once terror has FIRMLY AND FINALLY come home to ROOST it will no longer be appealing.

[knighthawk]

I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like... victory.