Eight of the nine Palestinian youths who walked out of Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity after 23 days of siege were allowed to go home Friday morning, but one is being kept in custody while the Israeli army investigates suspicions he was involved in military activities.
Israeli officials said suspicions that one teenager had helped plant explosives during the 19-month Israeli-Palestinian fighting had delayed the release of all nine, and the group had been kept overnight at a military camp.
Palestinian officials said the Israelis were still holding Hamza el-Hamur, 16, a resident of the Deheishe refugee camp outside Bethlehem. The Israeli army said the youth would be further interrogated, and may be released if his offenses were deemed minor.
The nine, ages 14 to 20, left the church, bringing with them two rotting corpses, in an agreement with the Israelis that signaled an easing of the prolonged standoff.
Negotiations to end the crisis were adjourned Thursday to allow the two sides to consult their leaders on the negotiating proposals.
Earlier, a Palestinian negotiator threatened to freeze the negotiations unless the nine were allowed to go home. On Friday morning, it was unclear when negotiations to end the church standoff would resume, but negotiators appeared optimistic the siege would end within days.
Palestinian negotiator Salah Taameri was to consult with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his besieged headquarters in Ramallah. Arafat would have to sign off on any deal.
Elsewhere, in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians said a woman was shot and killed by Israeli forces early Friday near the Gaza-Egypt border. The Israeli military said Palestinians attacked Israeli soldiers with gunfire, grenades and a mortar shell in a battle that lasted for several hours. (Albawaba.com)
