Israeli forces completed the first phase of their withdrawal from the west bank of the Suez Canal at noon today. They occupied a new line north of the Suez-Cairo road after formally turning over the evacuated area to the United Nations. Later today the UN-handed it over to the Egyptians. (See related story P. 3) The port of Adabiyeh on the Gulf of Suez was the first position transferred to the UN. Later, the Israeli flag was lowered in the town of Suez and a symbolic “key” to the city made of cardboard was presented to the officer in command of the UN unit taking temporary control of the town.
Kilometer 101 on the Suez-Cairo road which enjoyed its brief moment of world fame as the spot where Israel and Egypt signed their cease-fire agreement Nov. 11 and disengagement accord Jan. 21, reverted today to just another lonely desert marker. The green UN tent where the documents were signed is no longer Israel-held territory. The new Israeli positions are from 1 1/2-4 kilometers north of the road. There, Israeli forces have strung barbed wire and posted border warning signs. But the new lines will be occupied only until the Israelis complete the second phase of their pullback to a point north of Fayid.
Meanwhile, it turned out that the Israeli promise not to engage in a scorched earth policy did not apply to Egyptian military installations. As convoys of army trucks and buses evacuated Israeli troops, demolition squads blew up or put torch to Egyptian military equipment and installations that could not be moved. But roads and basic civilian installations were untouched.
The Egyptians will benefit from a new road constructed by Israeli engineers during the past month and from new bridges thrown over the Suez Canal to facilitate the withdrawal. The Egyptians will also be able to use once more the airfields at Fayid, Gasparit and Kebrit which they had abandoned long ago because they were within artillery range of Israeli forces on the Barlev line. With Israeli forces pulling back to positions 20 kilometers east of the Suez Canal, the airfields are expected to be re-activated and will constitute a potential threat to Israeli positions. (By Yitzhak Shargil.)
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