Five Palestinian gunmen who had taken sanctuary at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem surrendered to Israeli forces under a white flag, this evening.

What they told the IDF is amazing:

Approx. 50 Palestinian women and children were also being held hostage in the basement of the Church

The surrendering Palestinians were labeled as 'Israeli collaborators' by the remaining terrorists.

[size=4]5 Palestinians surrender at Bethlehem's Church of Nativity[/size=4]

By Amos Harel and Ori Nir, Ha'aretz Correspondents and Agencies

Five Palestinians who had been holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for over two weeks gave themselves Sunday afternoon to Israel Defense Forces troops.

Around 5.00 P.M., IDF soldiers spotted a number of young Palestinians waving a white flag close to the church's gates. A special negotiating team was sent in and the five left the church a short time later.

The five are not among the wanted Palestinians who have spent almost three weeks barricaded inside the church. At this stage though, it is still unclear whether they are militants or hostages the Palestinian gunmen have been holding inside the building, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus.

Palestinians however said that the five escaped with the help of the IDF which put a ladder under a window of the church. They also alleged that the five were collaborators with Israel.

[b]The IDF said Sunday that that it had learned that the gunmen were holding 50 Palestinian children and youths in the church basement, and were not allowing them out, even for a short time[/b].

A 20-year-old Palestinian, Taher Manasra, who was shot in the leg, possibly by an IDF sniper, when he went to pick herbs, told the army that he had been held in the basement and that there was little food and water provided.

Manasra, currently being treated at Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, told the IDF that some 50 youths were holed up in the church, along with 200 adults, including clergymen.

See remainder of article at:[url]http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=154188&contrassID=1&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=0[/url]

Eric The(WhoAreTheHostages,Now?)Hun[>]:)]

B-b-b-but that's impossible!!  The IDF has been respecting the cultural heritage and not shooting at the church!  Eric, my faith in your absolute truthfulness and total lack of spin is slipping.  Please go bulldoze the house of the reporter who published that blatant slur against the IDF.

B-b-b-but the Church is still standing...

So is the mosque across the square.

Hmmmm. The IDF should destroy one at least, just in order to satisfy your view of them.

Eric The(Now,WhichOne...)Hun[>]:)]

The IDF didn't shoot at the church....
...they shot at his LEG.