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Posted on 04/07/2002 11:04:58 PM PDT by Jean S
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli forces on Monday shot at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, one of Christianity's holiest sites, after a standoff with gunmen trapped inside, the city's governor said.
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The Israeli army said gunmen had opened fire from the church compound and it blamed the fire on the people inside, saying they had thrown grenades.
It said two soldiers had been hurt and that soldiers had "fired toward the source of the shooting" as they rescued the wounded men.
Madani said soldiers in the municipality building 100 meters (yards) to the west and gunners in two tanks to the south were shooting at the church, which Christians believe marks the site of Jesus's birth.
It was also not immediately clear if some 200 gunmen and civilians trapped inside the church with several members of the clergy were firing back. They burst in there last Tuesday and took refuge after tanks and troops entered the city.
Army commandos were on the roof of the church, and helicopters hovered overhead.
A priest inside the church compound said: "The Israeli soldiers carried out an armed attack on the Nativity church. They set fire to the parish building in front of the basilica."
"Palestinians inside the basilica tried to put out the fire and one of them (Israeli soldiers) opened fire and killed a Palestinian. There is damage to the face of the Church itself," he said.
A Reuters correspondent watching from nearby said she heard Israeli soldiers shouting through loudhailers for those inside to give themselves up.
In Rome, the Franciscans condemned the shooting at the church.
Father David Jaeger, spokesman for custodians of Catholic sites in the Holy Land, who is currently in Rome, told Reuters: "This is an act of indescribable barbarity. It is a violation of every law of humanity and civilisation.
"It is a violation of the explicit and repeated public and diplomatic guarantees of the State of Israel with consequences that will be long-term and incalculable," he said.
The Israeli army is the 11th day of a sweep of the West Bank for militants following a spate of Palestinian suicide bombings. Its tanks and troops entered Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem, last Tuesday.
Where were the Jews when Bela Kun, Trotsky, Kaganovitch, Rose Schwartz and others were murdering over 10 million Christians? I don't think they did one damn thing to help. In fact, the New York Times, run by a Jewish family, refused to report on the slaughter.
Of course we know, Lois. Friends of you. Which is really all we need to know ;).
Typical of you to make comments about a freeper and not even ping them. I suggest people read what I write than than what little sneaks write about me. I have always said I want Israel to take out Hamas and the rest of them. I don't like socialists and I don't like those who bash Christians and Americans for not doing enough for Israel and/or Jews. Christians and Americans liberated Europe and saved the Jews.
"Palestinians inside the basilica tried to put out the fire and one of them (Israeli soldiers) opened fire and killed a Palestinian. There is damage to the face of the Church itself," he said.
Let's see, you are being held in an inside room by armed men at a ratio of say 10 to 1 , you hear shooting and ask what is going on, "The Israelis are attacking you are told, they set fire to the church (your main interest) but we are putting it out."
Sure, makes sense to me.
That is a desperately sick lie.
Murdering thugs are holed up in a Christian church and the response of many on these threads is to blame the Catholic church for the Holocaust. Darn right I am going to mention who was well represented among those who committed the Ukrainian Holocaust as well as mention Bela Kun, a murdering Christian-hating sadist, who was the leader of the first communist government set up ourside the Soviet Union.
Maybe if some people backed off bashing Christians because they are in the unfortunate position of being trapped in a church with homocidal maniacs, no one would need to bring up any of this.
I am not the one on these threads blaming the Catholic Church for the Holocaust and claiming the current Pope supports Muslim terrorists.
Step back and read these threads. The people here bashing Christians are the ones trying to create a rift.
Not stalking you at all, Mr. Lied. And just doing a good public service by shining the light on you when I see you discussed. You really don't like light, do you Mr. Lied?
It does become tiresome and is, I believe, against forum policy.
Forum policy is to not drag discussions between threads, although that is more of a netiquette thing. Using posters input to illuminate hidden motives, underhanded agendas and that kind of thing is quite appropriate, I should think.
A rare point on which we agree. This is a thread on the danger to the Church of the Nativity, not the position of the Catholic Church toward Jews. It shouldn’t be hijacked.
I roundly condemn that poster who tried to deflect the thread back in 15 with the statement, unrelated to the thread, Everyone knows the Catholic Church is antisemitic. Pope Pius XII did everything but yell "All Aboard" when trains left Italy headed for Auschwitz you know. He is clearly an ignorant disruptor (probably a liberal disrupter), trying create animosity amongst Freepers and other conservatives.
He is none other than LarryLied.
BTW, since you spam thread after thread with the same garbage, trying to forment the same animosities among posters and lurkers, I think your other posts are relevant.
Just reread the thread. The direction or topic of this thread isn’t about blaming Christians or the Catholic Church for the Holocaust other than in your mind and in responses to your instigations. You’re a disruptor.
Sick stuff. Never thought I would see it on FR.
My little old noodle has always told me that the Catholic Church operates in its own best interest. The one thing that they will never let happen is a raid on the Vatican vaults. Billions -- maybe trillons locked up there. As long as they can sit on the fence and protect the money that they scam in the name of "helping the poor" don't expect anything profound from the church.
Richard W.
What was the name of the church? And please don't say Monte Casino.
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