IDF Forces in Bethlehem demolish house

(22 Nov 2002) Night shots 1. Wide shot of Bethlehem, building explodes in foreground 2. Israeli soldiers and jeeps outside building 3. Bystanders watching 4. Various shots of interior of destroyed building STORYLINE: The Israeli army (IDF) on Friday destroyed a house in central Bethlehem belonging to a Hamas activist. The activist, Abdullah Abu Hadid, and his brother lived in the building. The IDF evacuated people from the building and then detonated the structure. The house is located 400 metres from Church of the Nativity, Christianity's holiest shrine. Early on Friday, Israeli tanks and troops reoccupied the West Bank town of Bethlehem for the first time since August, following a Jerusalem bus bombing that killed 11 people, four of them children. Confirming Israeli control in those areas, Israeli defence minister Shaul Mofaz said agreements reached in August to give Palestinian forces responsibility for security in Bethlehem were "canceled and don't exist". Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, who is facing a primary on Thursday against his hawkish foreign minister Benjamin Netanyahu for control of the Likud party, told Palestinians that Israel would show no mercy as it hunts for militants. Army officials said the Israeli presence in Bethlehem was open-ended, but that troops hoped to be out by Christmas so that tourists can return. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...