Posted on 04/24/2002 5:11:13 AM PDT by lepraerea
What Is The Real Story Around The Church Of Nativity? 22-Apr-02 Ghassan Andoni
It is amazing how much one can twist facts. But more amazing is how much people can be influenced by twisted facts. In relation to the Church of Nativity, two stories are being widely circulated.
The Israeli story: a large group of armed "terrorists" entered the Church of Nativity. They took dozens of civilians including Christian priests and monks as hostages and are using them as human shields to launch attacks on the Israeli army, which is surrounding the place. Therefore, Israel is attempting to rescue the hostages and capture the "terrorists".
The Palestinian story: As the Israeli army invaded Bethlehem and Israeli tanks approached Manger Square, around 240 Palestinians including some armed Palestinians entered the Church seeking a safe shelter. Armed Palestinians laid down their arms and are seeking the protection of the Christian clergy inside the church.
Who are the people inside the church?
All resources from inside the church including Father Ibrahim Faltas, Christian Lawyer Tony Salman, and the governor of Bethlehem Mohammad Almadani confirmed repeatedly that: the vast majority of the people inside are innocent civilians who ran into the church to save their lives. The armed Palestinians who entered the church were mostly members of Palestinian Authority tourism Police, policemen from the adjacent Palestinian police station, and some Palestinians who decided to fight against the Israeli invasion of their city.
The Vatican repeatedly announced that all people inside the church are non-engaged and only seeking a shelter that the church is welling to provide. The Vatican repeatedly affirmed that there is no hostage-taking situation.
As the siege of the church continued, Israel employed a continued pressure to force the people inside the church to surrender. Some methods used are:
Preventing any supplies of food. Currently people inside the church are starving.
Prevent evacuate dead bodies from inside the church. (Two bodies are still inside)
Prevent any medical help for scores of injured people (nuns are dealing with the situation with primitive first aid means)
Positioning snipers all over the place and shooting at any moving target. So far two people were killed inside the church and two more wounded including an Armenian Priest.
Shooting randomly inside the church. This random shooting resulted in a fire that destroyed three rooms inside the church. A Palestinian was shoot dead by a sniper while attempting to extinguish the fire.
Throwing rounds of sound grenades into and around the church. This is going on all daytime and especially at night.
Transmitting, through loudspeakers, sounds that are beyond the threshold of pain into the church.
Attempted twice to burst into the church from its eastern entrance. In one attempt they destroyed one of the church gates using explosives.
So far, and aside from the suffering of people inside the church, considerable damage have been done to the church itself. With the little protest and concern from the side of the Christians all over the world and from the side of the international community, it is likely that Israel will upgrade its assault and might cause more substantial damage.
All attempts to negotiate a settlement to this situation failed. Israel insists on either complete surrender without conditions or a deportation outside the country. They are refusing the involvement of any third party in such efforts.
It is extremely worrying that with the increased pressure on Israel to leave the PA areas, Israel might attack the church in an attempt to kill or arrest people inside. It can happen, it might result in a massacre taking place inside the church, and it might destroy the Church. Something urgent must be done to prevent this from happening.
Ghassan Andoni (a Christian who lives 100 meters away from the Church of Nativity)
Why would "religious" people lie? Some of them, like the Mayor of Bethlehem, are Palestinians. They lie because the truth exposes them as subhuman terrorists. Some "religious" people lie because they are either a) in bed with the Palestinians politically, or b) afraid of the repercussions to them (in Palestinian territory) if they tell the truth.
See the post above this one about the surrender of two "bedraggled" Palestinians, who say that "many want to surrender" but are being held at gunpoint by "Palestinian militants."
Just because someone is wearing a clerical collar or a cone on his head does NOT mean that person is telling the truth. Even "religious" people can pull a Clinton.
If you accept this at face value, you've been had.
Congressman Billybob
Click here to fight Campaign Finance "Reform/".
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And you still are.
This is the best info I've found in this regard.
What makes you believe this more than anything else you've heard/read? What makes this the "truth"?
The truth won't be know until every person inside is outside and identified.
Granted, I don't live just down the street, but from where I am watching, the Israelis have done everything in their power to avoid damaging the church--short of leaving and allowing the terrorists to continue killing Jews. They won't and shouldn't do that. Those terrible mean Jews could have buldozed the place if they were unconcerned about damages.
War is hell. If you live next door to where the war is being waged, you live next door to hell. Maybe Mr. Andoni should vacate the premises while the war is next door. I certainly would. But then, I would be concerned for my safety and the safety of my family. Is Mr. Andoni more interested in getting a story, or providing more pro-pali propaganda when he or a family member is killed (probably by a stray pali bullet) than he is for safety?
Please understand that I am not aiming this tirade at you, but at the author and the source. This "Ecumenical Christian" source certainly did not present an "Ecumenical" story. Or perhaps they presented the other side of the story from the view of another author. If so, please post that one also.
I know this might surprise the military genius who wrote this piece....but that is the DEFINITION of the word "seige."
Why not just send in food, tv's, cots, etc., so they can stay there forever?
I've been confused on who exactly was inside in the church. This is the best info I've found in this regard.
You're correct about the first part (the party's religion, guilt, or innocence doesn't matter) but incorrect about the second. "Armed" is a deal-breaker. You cannot claim sanctuary without surrendering your arms. This tradition is about a thousand years old.
Besides, I watched TV last night and heard the words of one of the monks who escaped yesterday. He said that the PA troops inside were stealing gold, crosses, everything. He kept repeating it.
Why can't the kids and priests leave...why do they have to escape....if this isn't just another hostage situation?
They're starving them out...it's called a seige.
(Excerpt from interview:)
Q: The Franciscans seem to have taken a position in favor of the Palestinians, by remaining in the monastery after the armed Palestinians arrived, out of fear that the Israeli army would kill these militants. What is the position of the Holy See?
Archbishop Tauran: The Franciscans are insisting that they are not hostages, and that they are staying in their monastery because they want to be faithful to their vocation. For centuries, the Popes have relied on them to safeguard the holy places.
Generally speaking, all the holy places of the three monotheistic religions must be regarded as inviolable. But with the Catholic sanctuaries, in particular, the tradition is reinforced by recent specific agreements, codified in international law since both the Israelis and the Palestinians have entered into bilateral agreements [with the Holy See], in which they undertake to maintain and respect the status quo regarding the Christian holy places, and the relative rights of the Christian communities.
To explain the gravity of the current situation, let me begin with the fact that the occupation of the holy places by armed men is a violation of a long tradition of law that dates back to the Ottoman era. Never before have they been occupied, for such a lengthy time, by armed men. Today we have reached a tragic situation in which both sides continue to insist that they are right. It has become a practical necessity to find a solution.
We can certainly understand that the Israeli state must respond to defend itself against terrorism. No one can justify terrorism, in any form. The problem is how to respond. Too often, the people have to pay the price. Legitimate response must be measured. It is a question of proportion between the evil to be fought and the means used against it.
The Arabs have used ambulances, mosques, pregnant women, Arafat's helicopter and small children to transport bombs. They ran into the church of the nativity because the know the Israelis won't come in after them. These "martyrs" are really cowards who hide behind church doors to save their worthless lives.
If the Arabs are justified in killing Jews because they visited the "third holiest site in islam" why isn't it acceptable for Christians to kill Arabs for armed invasion of the first holiest place in Christendom?
Sactuary doesn't exist anymore, by the way. Try commiting a crime in the USA and running into a church and claim sanctuary.
You mean the Wailing Wall, A Jewish religious site over 2,000 years before Mohammad was a gleam in something's eye?
Actually the "whole mess" started when Arafat turned down an overly-generous peace offer. And the "dome of the rock" was built over the Jewish temple ruins (as I'm sure you know it was the one that Jesus visited) much as they built a mosque over the ruins of the temple of the god Ram in India. They do not respect the sites of others other than to build over them to show that they are stronger.
Quit finding excuses to hate the Jews while the Muslims kill thousands of Americans.
Try listening to the priests who were inside. They say they are being beaten and the church is being looted. If you don't believe them, believe the Pali escapes of last night who say many Palis want to leave, but the armed Palis wont let them.
Why do you ignore those people's description?
Snipers shooting people trying to put out a fire sounds like the Israelis are behaving badly, again. And the Jews wonder why people don’t like them. Go figure.
Ahh. Now it becomes clear. How transparent. Cracker is fitting.
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