WorldNetDaily: Terror leader: PA officials conspired in Nativity siege
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The 2002 storming of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity by Muslim terrorists was pre-orchestrated by Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority in a "conspiracy" to provoke the month-long siege by Israeli troops that followed, a Fatah official who directed of one of the terrorist organizations occupying the Christian holy site revealed in a new book.
Israel was widely criticized during the ordeal for laying siege to the Nativity Church - where Christians believe Jesus was born - after dozens of Bethlehem-area gunmen, including wanted senior Hamas, Tzanim and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorists, stormed the structure and refused to come out. Tzanim and the Brigades are part of Fatah.
Trapped inside the church with the gunmen were 49 church clergy and about 45 unarmed Palestinians who ran inside with the terrorists.
The siege ended after 39 days when mediators agreed 13 senior terrorists would be deported to European countries, 26 would be transported to the Gaza Strip and the remaining gunmen would be freed.
After the siege ended, there were widespread media reports, including video footage, the Nativity church had been left in shambles.
Clergy trapped inside later told reporters top Palestinian gunmen slept on comfortable beds in an elegant apartment inside the church, using high-quality woolen blankets, while the civilians slept on cold tile floors in the main church downstairs.
Four Greek monks told the Washington Times the Palestinian gunmen holed up with them seized church stockpiles of food and "ate like greedy monsters" until the food ran out, while the trapped civilians went hungry. The terrorists also were accused of guzzling beer, wine and Johnny Walker scotch they found in the priests' quarters.
A Roman Catholic priest told the Times some Bibles were torn up and used as toilet paper, and many valuable sacramental objects were removed.Powered by ScribeFire.
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