Bethlehem and surrounded the psychiatric hospital in the early hoursIMEMC Correspondant, Bethlehem April 1, 2004 In an Israeli military operation, a large force invaded the city of Bethlehem and surrounded the psychiatric hospital in the early hours of Thursday morning. The force, backed with tanks and helicopters clashed with the militants for about one hour, and shelled one of the buildings of the hospital before the militants decided to give themselves up, and were arrested by the soldiers. No injuries were reported. The army arrested 12 who were in the hospital including two nurses. The arrested are named as; Jamal Hamareh, the leaders of the Aqsa Martyrs brigades in Bethlehem, Rabie Rabie, Adel Hijazi, Hatim Salim, Issa Hreimi, Thaer Afandi, Iyad Awarneh, Hani Bashir, Anan Salah, Abu Adel, and the nurses Mohammad Dell and Mohammad Dudein. Army radio said, troops received intelligence information on the gunmen’s whereabouts. Troops also arrested Dr. Isam Bannourah, director of the hospital, but was released later. Exactly, two years ago, a huge Israeli force invaded the Bethlehem area and clashed with Palestinian militants who sought refuge inside the church of the Nativity and stayed their under siege for about 42 days. The standoff ended by deporting the some of the militants to Gaza Strip and 13 to different European countries, after being negotiated with the Palestinian Authority.
