MIDDLE EAST: As diplomats shuttled around the country and UN aid workers made their first tentative steps into the devastated Jenin refugee camp, two other standoffs remained in Israel yesterday. Some 250 men, including 50 clergy, are still inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and Mr Yasser Arafat is still inside his compound in Ramallah.
People inside the church said everyone was now drinking water from toilets, as no food or water has been allowed into the place that Christians believe was the site of Christ's birth. Conditions at the church have deteriorated in recent days with food supplies almost out, except for staples such as potatoes. A curfew remained in place in Bethlehem and the Israeli army was preventing journalists from gaining access to Manger Square.
Even as negotiations to end the impasse continued between the Vatican, those inside the church, and the Israeli government, people inside the church reported that units of Israeli snipers were being placed into positions on adjacent rooftops.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, claimed that the Palestinians had backed out of a compromise by which the Palestinians trapped in the church would be taken into Israeli custody to end a standoff with Israeli troops.
However, no Palestinian official ever publicly endorsed the proposal, and some lower level Palestinians, such as policemen inside the church, adamantly rejected it.
A proposal worked out recently to end the standoff was agreed upon by Israel, the Palestinians and Mr Powell but then the Palestinians rejected it, Mr Sharon said.
"Today the situation has changed and we and the Americans support this process," Mr Sharon told army radio in an interview broadcast yesterday. "The Palestinians apparently changed their position. Maybe they have some kind of hopes that there will be pressure on Israel." According to the compromise detailed by Mr Sharon, the Palestinians in the church would turn themselves over to the Israeli army. The military would then release all those not suspected of involvement in militant activity.
Those who are suspects would be put on trial in Israel or expelled to an Arab country, Mr Sharon said.
The Palestinian Authority and church officials have demanded that the army withdraw from the area. Their proposal is that the gunmen turn their weapons over to Palestinian police and be set free but Israel has rejected this.
Since April 2nd, Israeli troops and tanks have surrounded the church where more than 200 people, many of them armed Palestinians, have taken refuge. The Palestinians went into the church to evade Israel's campaign in the West Bank aimed at tracking down militants believed responsible for deadly attacks in Israel.
Pope John Paul II on Monday called Father Ibrahim Faltas, a senior official who is one of those in the church, in an effort to raise morale among the clergy, Father Faltas said.
"He said that he prayed for us, feels for us and does his best to end this crisis," Father Faltas said. There are conflicting reports about whether the clergy are remaining inside the church voluntarily. But sources close to the clergy inside told The Irish Times that the clergy had not been forced to stay inside, but felt their place was inside.
Meanwhile, Israeli sources told Time magazine that Israeli army commanders last week proposed pumping nausea-inducing gas into Mr Arafat's compound and the church in Bethlehem.