Wednesday, April 17, 2002

Escapee, 16, Tells of Stench and Cold in Besieged Church
In another twist in the psychological pressure, the Israelis had begun detaining some wives and mothers of men inside, Palestinians said, and broadcasting the information over loudspeakers to them.

Mr. Abdul Rahman said the men inside had organized themselves according to their militias or neighborhoods, each with one man in charge. There was no arguing, he said.

In recent conversations he overheard, the men were hopeful that Secretary of State Colin L. Powell might negotiate their release.

"If not, they said they'd stay," the youth said. "They said, `Are we better than the martyrs in Jenin? Rather than surrender,' they said, `we'll go out shooting.' "

The Israeli government has charged that the gunmen are holding monks hostage. But monks reached by telephone, as well as Governor Madani, said they were all there voluntarily. Mr. Madani said there were 35 Franciscan monks and nuns and four Greek and eight Armenian churchmen. They live separately in their monasteries. Mr. Madani and Mr. Salman were staying with the Catholics and were not confined in the squalid conditions of the other men who took refuge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/17/international/middleeast/17BETH.html

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