EU deal on Palestinian militants

The militants have been in Cyprus since 10 May

The European Union has reached an agreement on the distribution across Europe of 13 exiled Palestinian militants.

Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique made the announcement on Monday.

The 13 Palestinians have been staying in a hotel in the Cypriot city of Larnaca since leaving the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem under an EU-brokered deal on 10 May.

"I can confirm that tomorrow [Tuesday] a Spanish plane will be in Cyprus and distribute the people to the various countries," Mr Pique said.

The plane is expected to leave Cyprus on Wednesday.

Mr Pique said that 12 of the militants would be taken to Spain, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Ireland and Portugal, while one would remain in Cyprus.

The Palestinians are expected to be designated by the EU as "free men on humanitarian grounds".

The EU helped to broker the deal that ended the Bethlehem stand-off

Cyprus accepted the militants as part of a deal to end the siege at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

But it has said all along that it was a temporary measure until the EU had decided where their ultimate destinations would be.

Diplomatic coup

Israel regards the 13 as the most dangerous of the Palestinian militants who barricaded themselves inside the Church of the Nativity for nearly 40 days.

The EU offered to take the militants into exile to end the stand-off between the Israeli army and the Palestinians at the church. The deal was supported by the United States and the Vatican.

EU foreign ministers have decided that none of the 13 should face arrest, and they have received assurances from Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres that Israel will not seek their extradition.

'Heroes of resistance'

The men will also be entitled to reunification with their families at a later date.

The resolution of the Bethlehem siege has been seen as a diplomatic coup for the EU, whose interventions in the Middle East have tended to be overshadowed by the United States.

The Palestinian leadership has come under heavy criticism for allowing the exile of men regarded as heroes of resistance against the Israeli occupation.

Palestinian International Co-operation Minister Nabil Shaath said he hoped the men's return could be agreed during "the coming final-status negotiations, in addition of the release of all of the Palestinian detainees".