Palestinians propose to end Bethlehem stand-off

Palestinian negotiators suggest the gunmen sheltering in the sacred Church of the Nativity should be taken to the Gaza Strip.

The proposal has come in the first round of face-to-face talks over the stand-off in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Nasser says the Israeli negotiators have not rejected the plan outright, but Israel says it will not allow wanted men to go free.

Israel says the 230 armed men, who have been holed up in the church for 21 days with about 60 clergy, should face trial in Israel, or go into exile.

The Palestinians say those conditions are unacceptable.

Meanwhile, Palestinian vigilantes took their revenge after a leader of the militant Al Aqsa Brigades was blown up by an Israeli missile strike in Hebron.

Three men suspected of working as informers for Israel were tied up and shot dead in the West Bank city by hooded gunmen who warn the same fate will befall all "collaborators".

Hundred of people, including many children, kicked and spat on the corpses.

The killings came a day after militiamen in Ramallah shot and wounded three alleged collaborators. The vigilante attacks raised concerns about growing lawlessness in the Palestinian areas following Israel's three-week military offensive, which has left the Palestinian security services in disarray.

In Bethlehem today, three Armenian priests emerged from the besieged church after raising a sign in English reading "please help," the Israeli army says.