May 11, 2002

Birthplace of Jesus survives war

I visited Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, during a 1979 trip to Israel, so reports of the most recent fighting there between Israelis and Palestinians held a special interest for me.

A priest prays at the Grotto, the site where Jesus Christ is traditionally believed to have been born, inside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity Saturday, May 11, 2002. Residents of Bethlehem and clergy visited the church where Palestinians took refuge during a five week standoff with the Israeli army. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is an accurate Christmas carol, for it is small, what we would call a one-stoplight town, probably not much bigger than it was the night Jesus was born there.

The Church of the Nativity is built atop the spot where Jesus was believed to be born, which was in a small cave used for a stable. It's a small church, but the day I visited there it was filled with such a peaceful spirit I hated to move on with the tour.

It's one of the most revered spots in what Christians refer to as "The Holy Land," and for that very reason it became a battleground. When Israeli troops entered Bethlehem seeking Palestinian suicide bombers, they fled into the Church of the Nativity, knowing the Israeli army wouldn't attack there.

So began the siege which captured the attention of the world.

Israel pulled its troops and armor out of Bethlehem Friday, ending the 39-day siege of the Church of the Nativity after 13 Palestinian militants are flown into exile, news reports said.

Thirteen militiamen who had been holed up inside were flown into European exile, and 26 were released into the Gaza Strip where they were given a heroes' welcome. Seventy-three Palestinian policemen and civilians were set free.

After the siege ended, The Associated Press reported, "The church reeks of urine, and food crumbs are strewn across an altar yet it emerges with little permanent damage.

"The panes of several arched windows near the ceiling were broken, but there appeared to be no other damage. A 12th-century mosaic near the ceiling, which one priest had said was hit by bullets, appeared in good condition. A Franciscan study hall next to the church was gutted by fire -- Israel and the Palestinians accused each other of sparking the flames -- and a statue of the Virgin Mary was hit by a bullet."

Using solvents and sawdust, clergy members sweep the mess away from the floor of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity as they clean the area where Palestinians took refuge during a five week standoff with the Israeli army, Saturday, May 11, 2002. The Israeli army pulled out of the West Bank town after brokering a deal which cleared the Church compound of all those taking shelter inside. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

AP quoted a Bethlehem Christian, 18-year-old Sandy Shaheen, who was in tears as she looked at the interior of the basilica. "This is the place where Jesus was born. I can't believe this is the house of God -- just look at it," said Shaheen, who worships at the Church of the Nativity every Sunday.

One priest complained the foreigners had desecrated the church by smoking and drinking alcohol. The desecration was quite a bit worse than that. Israeli police and soldiers swept the church after the Palestinians left and said they found 40 explosive devices, several of which were booby-trapped.

Friday's deal ended a week of negotiations, with intense involvement by the United States, the Vatican and the EU.

The church was saved, but as long as Bethlehem remains in Palestinian hands, it will be used a sanctuary for suicide bombers whenever the Israeli army returns.

And I can't imagine many future tourists to Israel will include it on their tour sites.

If I understand the Scriptures properly, there will be no peace in the Middle East between Arabs and Jews until the Prince of Peace returns, not as the babe of Bethlehem but as King of kings.

But that doesn't make it any easier to swallow the thought of Palestinian thugs booby-trapping the Church of the Nativity.

Bethlehem is part of the "land for peace" deal offered the Palestinians by the Israelis. It doesn't seem to be working.