EU Finalizes Exile of 12 Palestinians

The European Union finalized a deal Tuesday to accept most of the 13 Palestinian militants involved in the siege of Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. The men have been eating three meals a day and passing time watching satellite TV at a Cyprus beach hotel for the last two weeks.

Twelve are expected to fly today to six EU nations that have agreed to offer them a home for at least a year. Abdallah Daud Kader, the militant whom Israel considers the most dangerous, said he’s looking forward to a new life and reuniting with his family in Europe.

Cyprus, a Mediterranean island state expected to join the EU by January 2004, had reluctantly given temporary refuge to the militants, whom Israel has accused of being terrorists.

Under the EU deal given final approval Tuesday, Spain and Italy will each take three militants, Greece and Ireland will each take two, and Portugal and Belgium will each accept one. The 15-nation EU said one militant would remain behind until an EU country could be found to take him in.

“The most dangerous one is staying in Cyprus,” one diplomat said. He was believed to be referring to Daud, who was in charge of Palestinian intelligence in Bethlehem.

The EU offered to take in the militants to end the 39-day standoff that began after Palestinian militants escaped Israeli troops by fleeing into the church.

An EU statement said the 12 would stay in their host nations for up to a year and would not be allowed to travel to other countries.

Since May 10, the Palestinians have been living at the Flamingo Beach Hotel in the resort of Larnaca under the round-the-clock watch of Cypriot anti-terrorism police.