Posted on 04/22/2002 7:19:12 PM PDT by Democrats are liars
| Gun battle at Church of the Nativity |
Heavy gunfire has broken out between Israeli forces and armed Palestinians holed up inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Stun grenades were heard around the church and a puff of white smoke rose up from the compound.
A Palestinian policeman inside the compound said Israeli fire was hitting the church walls.
Israel's army said Palestinians opened fire from several positions in the church compound and soldiers returned fire.
Bethlehem Governor Mohammed Mdani, who is inside the church, said the Israelis fired first, and armed Palestinians shot back. There were no reports of injuries in the 15-minute exchange.
Mr Mdani said fires set by the stun grenades damaged two rooms of Greek Orthodox monks and were put out.
A courtyard statue of the Virgin Mary near St. Catherine's church also was damaged by gunfire but the extent cannot yet be determined.
Palestinian policemen inside the church said Israeli soldiers were leaning ladders against compound walls.
The army has leaned up ladders before to throw in leaflets urging surrender and to allow people interested in leaving the church to get out. Israel has promised Christian leaders it would not storm the church.
On Sunday, five people used the ladders to get out, two civilians, two Palestinian police and one member of Yasser Arafat's guard.
Don't get the wind up, it's only a building!
Sorry bubba! No comparison between those nut cases and Christians.
Well, if it is your "shrine," what are you doing sitting at your computer? Go defend it yourself.
Whooop, you know what that means, four more months of winter.
You need to slow down, you're foaming all over the key board.
Mecca? We are saving that til they nuke Chicago.
17 posted on 4/22/02 9:47 PM Central by kcrack
BANG!
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