Arafat OKs talks to end church standoff

A standoff continues at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat gave his approval Monday for Palestinians to negotiate with Israel and a third party to end the weeks-long standoff at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Canon Andrew White, special representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, said Arafat met with Assistant U.S. Secretary of State William Burns and gave "his sanction" to the negotiations. A third party to the negotiations has not been chosen, he said.

About 200 Palestinians have been holed up inside the church, considered one of the holiest sites in Christendom, for the past 19 days.

Five Palestinian men fled the historic church Monday but were apprehended by Israeli troops, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said. The men -- in their 20s -- were taken by ambulance to receive medical treatment and were debriefed, according to Israeli military officials. (Full story)

They were not among from 30 to 40 Palestinians inside the church whom Israel has identified as terrorists on its most-wanted list, defense officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said Israel would accept a plan under which those not involved in terrorism would be set free. Those whom Israel has accused of terror attacks could face trial in Israel, or accept lifetime exile in a third country. Palestinians have rejected the proposal.

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Israeli forces stopped Arafat's aides and forbade them from attending the session with Burns at his compound here. Among those turned away was Saeb Erakat, chief Palestinian negotiator, who called the move "an escalation."

"There is no escalation," replied Ra'anan Gissin, a spokesman for Sharon.

Jenin investigation team named

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced Monday an "accomplished, highly respected and independent" fact-finding team to investigate the events at the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank.

Palestinians claim hundreds died in the camp during Israel's military offensive in what they say is a massacre. Israel vehemently denies the charge of a massacre, saying the deaths came during fierce fighting and included 23 of its own soldiers.

The fact-finding team will be headed by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and will include Sadako Ogata, former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and Cornelio Sommaruga, former head of the International Committee of the Red Cross. (Full story)

The IDF pulled out of the camp after arresting 13 suspects, a spokesman said.

Other developments