Listened to the BBC news at lunch today and was struck by the language used to describe today's events in the West Bank. According to the report Israeli troops continue to "besiege" the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem where hundreds of Palestinians have taken "refuge". Sort of conjures up images of bedraggled masses huddled together praying while shells explode in the background, shaking the building to it's foundation, and threatening to extinguish the candles burning in the background. The BBC reporter went on to say that an Israeli Army spokesman "claimed" that the Palestinians were armed and firing on Israeli troops from the church.
From what I've been able to discern from a variety of news sources the way this whole thing went down is that Palestinian gunman engaged Israeli troops in gun battles as the Israelis entered the city. Some of the gunman were forced to retreat and essentially were trapped. They decided to hide in the church reasoning that the Israelis would be reluctant to continue the attack on such a well known religious site. I'm sure there are some civilians inside the church as well who have sought shelter from the fighting around them. The Israelis have surrounded the church but are hardly "beseiging" it and I doubt if they have plans for a Monte Cassino-like destruction of it. Why is the moral outrage not focussed on the armed Palestinians who have clearly violated the sanctity of the church instead of the Israelis who at least up to this point have shown marked restraint?
