Israeli Field School in Sinal to Become Part of an Egyptian School

The Israeli field school near the Santa Katering Monastery in Sinai will became a branch of an Egyptian University after that area is transferred to Egyptian sovereignty on Nov. 15. But Israeli students will be allowed to attend, mingling with Egyptian students and the school will retain its Hebrew name and identity, it was reported today.

The school is called Tsukei David (Rocks of David) in memory of the late son of Justice Minister Shmuel Tamir. The arrangements worked out by the joint Israeli-Egyptian military committee supervising the various stages of Israel’s withdrawal from Sinai are highly satisfactory to government officials in Jerusalem. The officials said Egypt was scrupulously observing the letter of its peace treaty with Israel and fulfilling all of its obligations under the pact. Full normalization of relations with Israel will begin on Jan. 26, 1980, after the nine-month interim withdrawal from Sinai is completed.

So far, the Egyptians have granted more than 1000 entry visas to Israelis wishing to visit Cairo. A total of 1800 applications were made to date. Officials here say the applications take about a month to be processed.

Meanwhile, final preparations are being made for Israel’s pull-out from the Santa Katerina region and from A Tour and the nearby Alma oil fields on the Gulf of Suez. The latter will be returned to the Egyptians on Nov. 26. In the Santa Katerina area, at the foot of Mt. Sinai, Israeli officials have finished collecting Israeli identity cards from some 15,000 Bedouins and are distributing essential commodities to sustain them during the transition period until new supply routes are opened by the Egyptians.

The last Israeli civilian has left A Tour. He is Kobi Ashkenazi who ran the canteen and tourist shop there since 1970. Only 26 Israeli oil field employes remain at Alma.