BETHLEHEM (voa) – Thirteen Palestinian militants who left Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity after more than five weeks of siege by Israeli security forces will be flown to Cyprus Friday.
The militants emerged from the church early today one by one. They passed through metal detectors and were met by Israeli soldiers before boarding an Israeli bus, which was to take them to Ben Gurion airport. A British military plane will fly the 13 to Cyprus.
One of the militants had been shot in the leg during a recent clash with Israeli soldiers. He was carried from the church on a stretcher to another vehicle.
A break-through in the standoff came Thursday when Cyprus said it would take temporary charge of the militants. They will later be sent to various West European countries which have agreed to accept them.
European Union officials are to decide Monday where to send the 13 militants, who are wanted by Israel for terrorism. Spain, Italy and Greece are among the countries expected to receive the Palestinians.
Twenty-six other gunmen who left the church after the 13 militants will be sent to the Gaza Strip. More than 80 other people are to be set free.
About 200 people took refuge in the church in Bethlehem, built on the spot where Christians believe Christ was born, at the beginning of April. A number of people were allowed to leave during the five-week standoff; Israeli snipers killed several others.
The end of the siege paves the way for Israeli forces to pull out of Bethlehem, the last major West Bank town still occupied by Israeli forces after lengthy incursions began in late March.
