The armed men, some of them Palestinian policemen, forced their way into the church after running battles with Israeli troops firing from helicopter gunships and from tank-mounted machine guns. At nightfall, the bodies of four gunmen lay sprawled just off Manger Square, where the church is located.
As Israeli troops circled the church, the men rested in pews and on the stone floor, said Samir, a Palestinian policeman inside the church. About 20 of the gunmen were wounded and being tended to by several nuns and priests, Samir said.
"Most of the guys have run out of bullets," Samir said by telephone.
About 120 armed men were hiding in the church, said Marc Innaro, a correspondent for Italy's RAI TV, who was trapped in the compound by the fighting along with five colleagues.
As the fighting intensified, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon proposed publicly for the first time that diplomats fly Arafat into exile. Sharon noted such a move would require Cabinet approval. Arafat denounced the suggestion, saying he would rather be a "martyr" than go into exile.
Throughout the conflict, much has been made of Sharon and Arafat's bitter personal enmity, which many observers see as a driving force behind the fighting. "These two people...have lived this conflict for a very long time – too long if you ask me," European Union security chief Javier Solana said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the offensive would last three to four weeks, the first senior Israeli official to give a time frame. However, Sharon has said the campaign was open-ended.
In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Israel should end the campaign quickly, but suggested the United States would not insist on an immediate Israeli withdrawal. "I would guess it will take them (the Israelis) a couple of weeks" to conclude the mission, Powell said on NBC's "Today" show. Powell expressed opposition to expelling Arafat. "Until he decides he's going to leave the country, it seems we need to work with him where he is."
Powell also spoke to Jordanian Prime Minister Ali Abul-Ragheb, who told him that Israeli aggression was threatening the stability of the region, the Petra news agency said.
The State Department, citing a "deteriorating security situation," warned Americans to defer travel to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza and said dependents of American diplomats in Jerusalem were being encouraged to go home. Similar warnings to Americans to stay away from Israel were issued in December and January. Americans living in Jerusalem, the West Bank and in Gaza were advised to consider relocating.
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See remainder of article at:[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53957-2002Apr2.html[/url]
Eric The(Raging)Hun[>]:)]