U.S. Pressure Said to Drive Talks on Siege at Church
Intense American pressure to resolve the monthlong standoff between Israelis and Palestinians at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem caused a breakthrough today in new talks involving top aides to Yasir Arafat and American and European diplomats, Palestinian negotiators said.

The advance came when Mr. Arafat ordered Palestinians to give a list of those hiding in the church to American and European Union diplomats. Israeli officials, who say 25 wanted men and about 140 civilians are inside the complex, have demanded a list for weeks.

"This is the main issue now, to see who is wanted and who is civilian," said Mitri Abu Aita, a member of the Palestinian negotiating team. "The people inside the church are committed to the president's order."

The talks continued despite new violence today. Israeli snipers killed a Palestinian inside the church complex this morning. Israeli officials said the man was a wanted terrorist and was armed. But Kristen D. Schurr, one of 10 foreigners who sneaked into the church on Thursday, said in a telephone interview that the man was unarmed and hanging up laundry when the sniper fired.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/05/international/middleeast/05MIDE.html