EU stalls on Bethlehem militants

The militants are still waiting to know their destination

The European Union has put off a decision on which countries will take in 13 Palestinian militants allowed by Israel to go into exile following the end of the stand-off at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

The issue of the legal status of the men is proving difficult to settle.

EU diplomat

A decision is now expected within a week, a EU diplomat said after a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.

Under a deal brokered last week, the militants were flown to Cyprus in return for Israel lifting the siege and withdrawing from the town.

But Cyprus says it is only offering temporary sanctuary and no final destination has yet been agreed.

Possible hosts

"The issue of the legal status of the men is proving difficult to settle," the diplomat told reporters.

EU ministers made no decision

He added that the Palestinians' fate would be discussed by ambassadors from the 15 member countries.

"Six countries - Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal - have signalled a willingness to receive the Palestinians, but the others have also not ruled out completely taking part," the diplomat said.

The BBC's Tim Franks in Brussels says the affair has been a huge diplomatic bungle - initially the plan was for Italy to take them all but no-one told the Italian Government.

'Undertakings'

The militants, described by Israel as "senior terrorists", were confined to the Flamingo hotel in the Cypriot resort of Larnaca after the government agreed to give them temporary sanctuary.

Security is tight at he Flamingo hotel

Hotel manager Antonis Josifides told the BBC the 13 were taking meals separately from the rest of the guests and had caused no inconvenience.

Exiling all of them to the same destination is reported to have now been ruled out for security reasons.

As British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said, these men have left the Middle East voluntarily and given "undertakings" about good behaviour.

Another British diplomat told the BBC there was nothing to stop them spending a summer on the Italian Riviera and then getting the next flight back to the Middle East.

No country can detain the men against their will unless they put them through some sort of judicial process.

However, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said on Friday that Israel reserved the right to demand their extradition.