Editorial

By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service

Palestinian police guarding a West Bank church exchanged fire with assailants and chased them away early Saturday, witnesses said.

Shortly after midnight, the sound of heavy gun fire was heard outside the
Roman Catholic Church in the West Bank city of Nablus. Resident Abdel Salam Abu Rob said police guarding the church were exchanging fire with wouldbe assailants. Police guards were posted at churches in the West Bank and Gaza last weekend, after a first spate of attacks.
Residents said they heard intensive fire for about 20 minutes. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to the church.

On Friday, three pipe bombs were thrown at a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza city Friday, a church official said.

The church official, Nabil Ayad, said one bomb was thrown at the facade of the church, shattering glass windows of a nearby van. The main entrance was blackened.

Two other explosives were thrown inside the church compound, he said. The extent of damage was yet not clear, but there were no reports of injuries.

Earlier in the week, protesters attacked seven churches in the West Bank and Gaza, causing some damage but no injuries. The interior of a 180-year-old Greek Orthodox church in the West Bank town of Tul Karm was destroyed by fire.