Palestinian police defend West Bank church against assailants

[Behind the Aegis]

Palestinian police guarding a West Bank church exchanged fire with assailants and chased them away early Saturday, witnesses said.

Shortly after midnight, the sound of heavy gun fire was heard outside the
Roman Catholic Church in the West Bank city of Nablus. Resident Abdel Salam Abu Rob said police guarding the church were exchanging fire with wouldbe assailants. Police guards were posted at churches in the West Bank and Gaza last weekend, after a first spate of attacks.

Residents said they heard intensive fire for about 20 minutes. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to the church.

On Friday, three pipe bombs were thrown at a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza city Friday, a church official said.


more...

[Purveyor]

1. One would think the mossad would have taken the day off for the holiday...

[davidinalameda]

3. and what exactly was the Mossad doing

protecting or attempting to destroy the church?

[Behind the Aegis]

4. That makes no sense...

...just another useless anti-Israeli remark.

[Jim Sagle]

8. You're too kind. I guess we have the mods to thank.

[davidinalameda]

9. anti-Israeli remark

here?

never!

:sarcasm:

[NaturalHigh]

11. The do pop up here on occasion.

Usually on days that end with the letter Y.

[cali]

13. Your comment is both hateful and addled

Not exactly a winning combination

[geek tragedy]

16. Yeah, you know how those Jews are behind every act

of evil.

Keep on speaking Truth2Power, oh fearless 'anti-zionist!'

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

2. Forgive them

They have not a clue.

[pinto]

5. Kudos to the Palestinian police. Religious extremism and violence benefit

no one. And religion, in the Middle East, is obviously a powder keg of historical conflict that is best tampered by a clear civilian legal authority.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. I agree! ("Kudos to the Palestinian police") n/t

[JVS]

14. I also agree.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. DO NOT CALL ME A TERRORIST!!!!!!!!!!!!

OR I WILL KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[barb162]

10. I am glad the police guarded the church/ fought off the attackers

What is also so strange about these stories is they were also going after more than the Roman Catholic churches. ("pipe bombs were thrown at a Greek Orthodox church")

[Igel]

12. Doesn't strike me as strange.

Christian is Christian to some folks. Some thinking extremists may be aware of the difference; but it's easier to label us all "Crusaders" and be done with it.

When the Russian Orthodox armies trounced the Ottoman forces, it wasn't just Russian Orthodox Christians in the ME that paid in blood and property. Other kinds of Orthodox, as well as Chaldean and Catholic also were caught up in the "tolerance".

[pelsar]

15. the differences between the denominations...

arent recognized for the most part by the attackers....nice to see the PA police in action.

[geek tragedy]

17. People prone to hate crimes aren't noted for their mastery

of interdenominational nuances.

[Scurrilous]

18. PA policemen uncover tunnels along Gaza's border with Egypt

<snip>

"Palestinian security forces discovered two underground tunnels along the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt on Tuesday that they suspect were dug to smuggle weapons and other contraband.

The tunnels was dug 25 meters (yards) underground and reached Egypt.

Security forces prepared to seal the tunnel later in the day. They said they suspected the tunnel was dug for criminal purposes, not militant activity, but noted its investigation was still in a preliminary stage."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/767474.html