Italy 'not consulted' on Palestinians

The Church of the Nativity deal remains on hold

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- The Italian government says it has not been consulted on a plan to exile 13 of the 123 Palestinians holed up in a Bethlehem church to their country.

Tuesday's announcement by the Italian foreign ministry that such a move was not "thinkable" at the moment set back any immediate hopes of resolving the 35-day standoff between the Palestinians and the Israel military.

Under the terms of the deal, 13 Palestinians inside the Church of the Nativity whom Israel accuses of being "senior terrorists" would be sent into exile. But the settlement is being delayed because no country has yet agreed to take them, an Israeli army spokesman said on Tuesday. (Full story)

Italy has been reported in the media during the past few days to be a possible destination for the men but a statement released by the foreign ministry in Rome said it had not been contacted and no request had been made.

IN-DEPTH  CNN NewsPass Video    •  Palestinian politics  MORE STORIES   •  IDF: Arms workshops destroyed in Rafah  EXTRA INFORMATION   •  Gallery: Palestinian fatalities  RESOURCES   •  Victims of terror   •  TIME.com: Orchestrating a common ground

"The issue of accepting in Italy Palestinian citizens was never presented and right now is not thinkable," it added. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is also the foreign minister, is believed not to have made any comment.

According to Aziz Halil Mohammed Abayed -- a Palestinian pharmacist who is inside the church and wanted by the Israelis -- under the accord, Palestinian leaders had agreed to send 13 militants inside the church to exile in Italy, and another 26 to Gaza, where they could face trial. Abayed told CNN he would be one of those exiled to Italy.

He said he learned of the agreement from two Palestinian officials who entered the church to present the gunmen inside with a list of the 13 who would be deported.

Israeli Defence Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told reporters in Jerusalem that Israel had "signed off" on the deal but some logistical problems remained.

The breakthrough came as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was visiting Washington for talks with President George W. Bush.

Sharon is carrying a dossier the Israeli government says links Arafat to terrorism and a peace plan calling for buffer zones between Israel and the Palestinians.

The siege at the church, built over what Christians believe is the birthplace of Jesus, began on April 2 when Palestinian gunmen entered the church after Israeli troops and tanks rolled into Bethlehem.