Jumping in here, sans BDU...

Just for the record, the Church of the Nativity is shared domain by the Greek Orthodox Church, whose ceremonies are at the main altar of the Sanctuary iteself, the Armenian Orthodox Church, whose ceremonies are at a side altar, and the Roman Catholic Church.

There are several reports citing different priests that "some" Palestinians in the Church are Christian and participate in the daily services, and had BEFORE seeking Sanctuary.

Further, in times of war, soldiers of a defeated army have many times sought Sanctuary, with arms. This is nothing unusual. The restriction is that they do not force the clerics to grant Sanctuary threat of violence, and they do not commit acts of violence from the church itself.

In the case of the Church of the Nativity, this is an academic question. With only small arms, and no accessable windows, you'd need to open the doors and fire out the doors - not a smart move if you're surrounded by hostiles.

Pete