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Christians flee Palestinian areas, seek to settle abroad

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, October 26, 2000

RAMALLAH — Christians are fleeing Palestinian areas amid the mini-war with Israel.

Both Israeli and Palestinian sources said hundreds of Christians have left their communities in such cities as Bethlehem, Gaza, Nablus, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. They said the Christians seek to escape the violence and resettle abroad.

The Palestinian sources said that Islamic fundamentalists have used the violence to threaten Christians. This has been especially true in Gaza and Nablus, a West Bank city with a militant fundamentalist movement.

Israeli officials said the PA is trying to trap Christians in the current mini-war with Israel in an effort to garner support from the West. The officials said Arafat has apparently concluded that the prospect of Christians in danger will attract massive international support.

The flight appears most pronounced in the Bethlehem area, where Christian communities have been cut in the crossfire of Israeli-Palestinian shootouts. Nearly nightly, Palestinian gunmen loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat have been using the Christian village of Bet Jallah to snipe at neighboring Jerusalem.

In response, Israel has fired missiles at the snipers.

The sources said the Christians are being helped by Western embassies. They are taken to Israel and then helped with visas, passports or even tickets to resettle abroad.

On Wednesday, Israeli and Palestinian commanders were expected to meet in another attempt to renew cooperation. Earlier, an Israeli envoy of Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Yossi Ginossar, met Arafat and his security chiefs to plan on a renewal of security cooperation.

Thursday, October 26, 2000

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