The State Department reiterated today its confidence that Israel will withdraw from the Sinai as scheduled this Sunday. But State Department deputy spokesman Alan Romberg would not comment on the efforts of Deputy Secretary of State Walter Stoessel Jr. except to say, “We are pleased with reports we have received on the mission so far.”
Romberg said there are so far no plans to send a U.S. delegation to the ceremony marking the last stage of the turn-over of the Sinai from Israel to Egypt. There have been reports that Secretary of State Alexander Haig now in Buenos Aires, if successful in mediating the Falk land Islands dispute between Argentina and Britain, this week, might go to the Sinai on Sunday.
Romberg said that there have been no efforts made to prevent American citizens from going into the Sinai as part of the movement to attempt to prevent Israel from removing all Jewish settlers there by Sunday. Many of the Jewish militants that have gone into the Sinai and are now clashing with Israeli troops are American Jews who have moved to Israel.
In particular, the members of Rabbi Meir Kahane’s Kach movement, who have barricaded themselves in a bomb shelter in Yamit and have threatened mass suicide, are reported to be Americans.
“Obviously, we would not welcome suicide by anybody, by Americans or anybody else in this situation,” Romberg said. Romberg indicated that the situation will be handled by Israeli authorities.
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