Israeli forces were occupied today with the final phases of their withdrawal to new defense lives in Sinal. The evacuation is expected to be completed by Sunday, the deadline established by the interim accord signed with Egypt last September.
Today, Israeli troops pulled out of the southern sector of the central Sinai region–from south of the Mitle Pass to the Ras Sudar area. Indonesian troops of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) immediately took over the evacuated area which will be part of the new UN buffer zone between Israeli and Egyptian lines.
Tomorrow the Israeli flag will be lowered and the UN flag raised over a section of the old Barlev line code-named “Budapest,” the only Israeli strong point to withstand the Egyptian attack on the first day of the Yom Kippur War. The stronghold was dismantled by Israeli army engineers. Israeli forces will also leave Balooza and Romani, site of an old railroad station dating from World War I. Part of the installations, including an airstrip, has been left intact for UN use.
Earlier this week, increased military activity was reported in the Egyptian zone east of the Suez Canal. Helicopters were seen flying over the area and it was assumed that the Egyptians were preparing to move into the old UN buffer zone that will be handed back to them under terms of the interim accord.
BEGINNING OF ROAD TO PEACE
As the Israeli forces moved toward what will be their new permanent defense lines east of the Mitle and Gidi Passes, their commander reminisced to newsmen about an earlier evacuation over a year ago when, under the terms of the cease-fire that ended the Yom Kippur War, Israeli forces withdrew from the large salient they held west of the Suez Canal in Egypt proper.
The commander whose first name, Micha, was permitted to be made public, said the earlier pullback was much more difficult psychologically because it meant leaving a battlefield and lost comrades. The present evacuation, he said, is part of an agreement that holds out hope, however slight, of being the beginning of the road to peace.
It was noted in connection with the Israeli evacuation, that UNEF would have to increase the size of its forces in order to effectively patrol the longer lines in Sinai.
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