Exiled Palestinians due to arrive in Ireland

Two Palestinian militants, exiled as part of the pact that halted the Israeli siege of Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, were expected to arrive here today.

The men were being flown to Ireland from Spain after being taken to Madrid from Cyprus, where they had spent the period since leaving the Bethlehem church following the 37-day siege last month.

Eleven other men are being admitted to other European Union states under the terms of the deal that brought the church incident to an end.

Arrangements for the accommodation of the men in Ireland is being handled by the Justice Department.

The expectation is that they will be put up at a guest house or a small hotel and kept under police supervision. The men, who have not been identified, will not be permitted to leave the Ireland during their stay here, but their families may join them.

A justice department spokesman said ‘‘suitable accommodation arrangements’’ would be made, but they would not be disclosed for security reasons.

The identity of the pair has not been revealed. The Israeli government has called all 13 exiles ‘‘senior terrorists’’, but this has been denied by the Palestinian authorities.