Gun shots and fire erupt at Bethlehem church

Flames leaped from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem early today during heavy exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen.

The Palestinians said the fire - which damaged dormitory rooms, but not the basilica itself - was sparked by Israeli flares, while Israel accused the gunmen of arson.

The fire was about 50ft from the 4th-century structure.

Palestinians said the Israelis started shooting at the church and fired flares and stun grenades which exploded over the building like fireworks in the night sky.

Three rooms in the Orthodox Christian and Franciscan sections of the large compound caught fire.

Three people were slightly burned as they battled to put out the blaze with buckets of water, Palestinians in the church said by telephone.

The shooting went on sporadically for about an hour before an uneasy calm returned to the area.

Details of what triggered the shooting remained unclear but the Israeli government was adamant the fire was caused by Palestinian gunmen.

Daniel Taub, deputy legal adviser for the Israeli Foreign ministry, said: ‘‘There was firing from inside the church and by Israeli forces outside and at the same time a fire was started by the Palestinians inside the church.

‘‘Israel has stated ... it will respect the sanctity of the place. Unfortunately the Palestinians don’t have the same respect,’’ he said.

At his Ramallah compound, moments after Israeli forces lifted their siege, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shook with anger as he faced cameras and blamed the Israelis for the fire.

‘‘This is a big crime that has taken place against this holy place. For me it makes no difference even if they had destroyed this room which I am working in. What is important for me and for the whole world is the Nativity church,’’ he said.

‘‘Why are they (the international community) not moving against what is going on in this holy sacred place?’’

Taub accused the Palestinian leader of trying to use the situation in the church as ‘‘another excuse to inflame international passions’’.

‘‘I think Yasser Arafat could be playing a more constructive role in trying to bring this impasse to an end.’’

Taub would not comment on the negotiations between the two sides to resolve the situation in the church, which is built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus, but reaffirmed the Israeli position that all those inside are free to go except the 20 to 30 gunmen whom it wants to arrest or deport.

Israeli forces have been surrounding the church since April 2, when more than 200 Palestinians, including gunmen, fled inside to escape Israeli troops.

The church remains the last point of contention from Israel’s large-scale incursion into the West Bank that began on March 29 after a series of deadly Palestinian suicide bombings.

On Tuesday, 26 Palestinians emerged from the church and were driven away in an Israeli bus. Several hours later, 25 were released, and one was taken to an Israeli hospital for treatment.

Over the past 1,600 years, rulers have threatened to destroy the Church of the Nativity, which was dedicated in 339, but it has rarely been scarred in conflict.

During the Arab Muslim conquest, many churches - including Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre - were heavily damaged or destroyed, but the Church of the Nativity survived.

The latest flare-up has Israeli officials and Christian leaders meeting to try to end the crisis without further bloodshed.

‘‘The church is in danger because both sides are armed,’’ said Archbishop Aristarghos, chief secretary of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. He said Christian leaders and the Israeli government agreed ‘‘every effort should be made to reduce the tension.’’