“Bethlehem is my home but Ireland will always be my second home”, says Rami Kamel, a Palestinian who was exiled from his homeland following the 39-day siege of the Church of the Nativity in 2002.
Although he was born and grew up within walking distance of the Church which Christians believe marks the birth place of Jesus, Rami had never expected it would play such a crucial part in his life. On 2nd April 2002, Rami and around 20 other members of the PLO took refuge in the Church following a battle to defend Bethlehem from an Israeli attack during the second Intifada.The town was attacked as part of the Israeli army’s so-called Operation Defensive Shield. During this operation, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) intended to occupy the area for a short period and capture suspected Palestinian militants they accused of being involved in armed resistance to the occupation of the West Bank.
“We will never forget the priest who called us and said we could go to the church. Because of that favour I am still alive,” Rami told Liberty Online in an interview in Liberty Hall.
In total nearly 300 people had taken refugee in the church grounds from children to old age pensioners. Surviving mainly on boiled grass and olive oil, Kemel and his fellow militants were convinced that they would die resisting the Israeli siege which included psychological warfare such as the playing loud noise over speakers at the Church.
In October 2001, an attempted Israeli assassination had already resulted in the then 21 year old Kemel being placed in a coma for eight days and the loss of his right hand. He had been an active PLO militant since September 2000.
“The day I decided to start to fight I remember that day well. I was in my friend’s house and we were watching TV and we saw the images of the Israelis shooting Jamal al-Durrah (a 12-year-old boy whose father attempted to shelter him beside a wall as Israeli forces targeted him). We had no plan until we saw al-Durrah killed in cold blood, we didn’t even think we just got a gun and did what we did. Three of the friends I watched the television with that day are now dead, killed by the Israelis.”
After 39 days and in the face of massive international pressure the Israelis lifted the siege of the Church of Nativity. However, Israel demanded that 13 men it identified as leaders of the armed resistance had to go into exile in Europe. Kamel and his fellow militant, Jihad Jaara, were taken to Ireland.
“We only knew we were to go into exile one day before. President [Yasser] Arafat himself rang us in the Church and said ‘you are the leaders on the ground and you decide what is good for you’.”
Rami added: “When myself and Jihadi realised we were going Ireland we were very happy; my family was very happy. We knew of Ireland, that Irish people had the same history as us of occupation that we would never need to explain the idea of ‘freedom fighter’ to them.’”
Kamel has now lived in Ireland for 13 years. He has three children but has been unable to visit his homeland since 2002. He said: “My children have now all visited the Church of Nativity, I’m sure I will also see it again, some day.”
