Palestinian civilians have begun emerging from the Church of the Nativity.

Israeli forces were still surrounding Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity and Yasser Arafat’s office in Ramallah today despite Prime Minister Ariel Sharon saying the West Bank military assault was virtually over.

Israeli troops surrounding Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity exchanged fire today with armed Palestinians holed up in one of Christianity’s holiest shrines, and smoke was seen rising from the compound.