BETHLEHEM, May 12 (IslamOnline & news agencies) – The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is the root of evil in the Middle East, said Latin Patriarch of the Holy Monsignor Land Michel Sabbah, speaking to nearly 1,000 worshippers gathered at a special mass at the Saint-Catherine church, which adjoins the Church of the Nativity.

The Saint-Catherine church, along with Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, celebrated mass for the first time since a five-week siege ended at the Christian shrine.

Although no sign of sabotage was found inside the church, the buildings were left littered with clothes, garbage, and mattresses. Exchanges of gunfire also caused substantial damage to the Greek Orthodox monastery in the complex.

Sabbah said that there could be no peace until the Israelis ended their occupation of the Palestinian territories, news agencies reported.

"My message today is to the Israelis: you are pushing the Palestinians to committing suicide. You are committing suicide yourselves," he said. Agence-France Presse (AFP) quoted him as saying, "as long as the root of evil is there, the violence will stay. The root of evil is the Israeli occupation".

 "More important than condemnations, it is action which is necessary," Sabbah said. "We need the two partners, Israelis and Palestinians, to show their courage and pull out the roots of evil and put and end to the occupation."

The Nativity Church was under the Israeli siege for 39 days with more than 200 People inside. The siege ended peacefully Friday under a deal brokered by the European Union and the United States.

Describing the relation between Palestinians and monks in the church during the siege, Nagi Mohamed Obayat, from Islamic resistance movement, HAMAS, one of the Palestinians that were in the church, said that Monks were extremely helpful and kind, as they treated the injured, carried out the martyrs, and gave Palestinians total freedom to move in the church.

“They even gave us their food and showed us the highest points in the church so we can discover any attempt from the Israelis to attack the church,” he added.

On the same issue, Feras Ouda, another Palestinian that was under siege in the church, said that monks did not show any signs of anger or embarrassment when Palestinians prayed inside the church.

Israeli soldiers tried many times to break into the church, especially at nights, he added.

Meanwhile, in Bethlehem, the first signs of regular life returned to the damaged city as fruit and vegetable sellers rushed to set up their stalls, reclaiming their rightful place, news agencies reported.

On entering Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers fired thousand and thousands of rounds of bullets for several hours, and blew up hundreds of doors in their search operation.

"According to our first estimates, damage to the streets, pavements, electricity, traffic lights and public buildings runs to at least five million dollars," Bethlehem mayor Hanna Nasser told AFP.

Soldiers, who took over the town hall, "destroyed everything, computers, furniture, files and they opened two safes," he said.