Exiled Palestinians arrive in Ireland

The militants flew into Ireland aboard a Spanish plane

Two Palestinian militants banished from the West Bank after the siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity began their exile in Ireland on Thursday.

They are part of a group of 13 Palestinians who were initially deported to Cyprus under an agreement that brought the five week stand-off to an end.

This action is... evidence of our desire to see peaceful solutions to these problems

Irish foreign ministry

Ireland's foreign ministry said the two men arrived at Dublin airport on a flight from Madrid, where three of their colleagues disembarked on Wednesday to begin life in Spain.

The militants - Jihad Youssef Khalil Jaara, 30, and Rami Kamel Eid Kamel, 22 - have permission to stay in Ireland for up to a year.

Click here for photos of the 12 Palestinians

Israel says the two men belonged to a Palestinian militia linked to Yasser Arafat and were responsible for gun and bomb attacks against Israelis.

Israel has not officially ruled out an extradition request against the 13, but officials in Ireland's foreign ministry said such a possibility was unlikely.

Asylum

The pair coming to Ireland will, in effect, have the status of temporary refugees, granted on humanitarian grounds.

They will not be jailed but nor will they be permitted to leave the Irish Republic.

Where the militants have gone

Spain - 3

Italy - 3

Greece - 2

Ireland - 2

Belgium - 1

Portugal - 1

Undecided - 1

All 13 have pledged to observe the laws and policies of the EU states that are providing them with temporary homes.

If the two men have not returned to the Middle East within a year, the Irish authorities will review their status and they may be eligible to seek political asylum.

Their families will be allowed to apply for entry to the country. But Palestinian sources in Ireland say the pair aim to return to their homeland as soon as possible.

An Irish foreign ministry spokesman said: "Ireland has long been committed to assisting in the resolution of the problems of the Middle East and this action is concrete and practical evidence of our desire to see peaceful solutions to these difficult problems."

---

The 12 militants are going to six countries

Top row (left to right): Ibrahim Mussa Abayat, Jihad Jaara, Khalil Abdallah, Mamduh Nawawreh;

Middle row: Mohammad Said, Rami al-Kamel, Ahmad Hamamreh, Aziz Abayat;

Bottom row: Ibrahim Mohammad Salem Abayat, Mohammad Muhanna, Aanan Khamis, Khaled Abu Nejmeh.

Click here to return.