Israelis blast church with invisible weapon

The Daily Telegraph via smh.com.au ^ | 16 April 2002 | Alan Phillips

[history_matters]

Israelis blast church with invisible weapon

By Alan Philps in Jerusalem
April 16 2002
Daily Telegraph, London

Getting an earful ... loudspeakers held up near the Nativity Church pump out the noise. Photo: AFP,

The Israeli Army is broadcasting ear-splitting screeches and wails at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, traditional site of Jesus' birth, to force out 200 Palestinians besieged there.

Troops brought in a crane to hoist loudspeakers over the ancient basilica, one of the holiest shrines in Christendom, as part of what one person inside called "psycho terror". One of the noises sounds like a car alarm.

Camped outside the church, the army estimates there are about 50 wanted Palestinian militants inside, with clergy and civilians.

The Israeli Government offered a deal on Sunday under which the wanted men would be given a choice between permanent exile and trial before a military court. "If they leave, it's for good but, if they stay, then they will have to stand trial in Israel," said a spokesman for the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon. The offer was put by the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, to the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, during talks on Sunday.

Palestinian negotiators immediately rejected it, saying the men would not accept exile, and if they were to be judged it should be before a Palestinian court. But they would accept any deal that Mr Arafat approved.

In an appeal on Friday the trapped Palestinians called for United Nations intervention to save them from "a slow death".

They have been deprived of food for almost two weeks, and the army has shot at Palestinian youths lobbing bags of bread into the compound.

"We are hearing loud whistles and screeches in the daytime and now at night," said the Governor of Bethlehem, Mahmoud Madani, who is inside the church. "They want to destroy our morale, but the only solution is a negotiated settlement."

The church has responded to the caterwauling by ringing its bells.

In a major blow to the Palestinian resistance, Israel last night arrested Marwan Barghouthi, a leader of Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction in the West Bank and regarded by Israel as the top militant in the area, Israeli security sources said.

Barghouthi, sought by Israel since it launched a West Bank offensive on March 29, was arrested in the city of Ramallah, the sources said.

[history_matters]

Prayer Bump and ping!

[history_matters]

bump

[isthisnickcool]

Someone send them a recording of Rosanne Barr singing the national anthem. That'll get them running.

[germanicus]

Shades of Panama. How about some "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent? Better yet, Roseanne Barr singing the American national anthem. That'll flush'em out.

[Izzy Dunne]

Time to break out the Whitney Houston CDs...

[germanicus]

We must have had the same thought at the same time. I guess some Freepers think alike.

[b4its2late]

Good idea! Must've been using the same technique used with Noreiga!

[DoughtyOne]

Oh they'd revel in her rendition. One could very easily see them paying for her version. LOL

Perhaps Israel should play Christian music at about 175 decibles.

[history_matters]

I seem to recall the US Army using this tactic in Panama against the Vatican Embassy while trying to retrieve the narcopresident.

[Blackyce]

Just a note to the media-handicapped: From this point forward, "psycho" terror will be considered morally equivalent to suicide bombing. Thank You. That is all.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Time to mobilize the Knights of Malta?

[shadowman99]

This tactic worked very well when used against Noriega.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

It took a couple of days to flush Noriega out of the Nunio's residence, but he eventually did come out because of the noise.

[history_matters]

Israel desperately wants the monks and nuns to leave so they can eliminate the armed Palestinians. Subjecting innocent people to this kind of sonic torture seems to go hand in hand with the Israelis general policy of seeking retribution against civilians and combatants in response to the homocide/suicide bombings of Palestinian terrorists.

[tracer]

I think Christmas carols would be quite appropriate....

[history_matters]

Time to mobilize the Knights of Malta?

Scary. You are reading my mind.....

[redhead]

Sounds like somebody should tell these guys about teargas or stink bombs.

[uncbob]

They ought to get a recording of a bunch of pigs squealing and blast them with it and then use tear gas grenades packed with the odor of frying bacon

[tracer]

So, what's your point??

</gallows humor>