Bethlehem deal may end church siege
By Harvey Morris and Avi Machlis in Jerusalem and Alan Beattie in Washington
Published: May 5 2002 21:29 / Last Updated: May 6 2002 00:23
Between seven and 15 Palestinians wanted by Israel will be deported to Italy under a deal to end the 34-day siege of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, a senior Palestinian official inside the church said on Sunday night.
Mohamed Madani, Bethlehem governor, said by telephone that some 35 others would be transferred to Gaza and that Israel would allow the remaining 80 or so people inside the church to go free. As the stand-off neared its close on Sunday night, the two sides were still negotiating the exact number facing deportation or transfer.
Yassir Arafat's role in finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in the Middle East was on Sunday moved to the top of the diplomatic agenda as Israel stepped up its campaign to marginalise him. Ariel Sharon, Israeli prime minister, was flying to Washington on Sunday night with a dossier attacking Mr Arafat, prepared by Dani Naveh, a cabinet minister. Mr Sharon is expected to rely heavily on the report in his meetings with senior US officials in Washington this week and with President George W. Bush on Tuesday. Mr Naveh on Sunday released a 100-page report including documents seized during Israel's offensive in the West Bank last month, which he said proved Mr Arafat was "personally involved in directing terrorist activities" against Israelis.
But the US administration yesterday resisted pressure to back the Israeli position before this week's meetings. Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, said on Fox News that while Mr Arafat had been a poor leader and must reform, "we are not going to try to choose the leadership for the Palestinian people".
Colin Powell, US secretary of state, told ABC: "It serves us all better if we . . . recognise who the Palestinian people look to as their leader." Mr Powell also suggested peace in the Middle East would require action from Israel, citing the growing Israeli settlements in Palestinian areas as a problem which "is not going to go away".
Ahmed Maher, the Egyptian foreign minister, on Sunday became the first senior Arab official to meet Mr Arafat since Israel lifted its siege of his office compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah last week. "We are here declaring that we support President Arafat and the Palestinian people," Mr Maher said. Mr Sharon wants to persuade Mr Bush the Middle East peace conference being planned by Washington should not include Mr Arafat.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces in the West Bank killed a Palestinian woman and two children. The army said the incident was a mistake.
