JERUSALEM
POST INTERNET
By David
Rudge
HAIFA (Ocotber
15) - All dependents of UN personnel and non-essential staff based
in Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank have been ordered
to leave the region, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The orders
were issued by UN headquarters in New York late Friday, and by
yesterday most of the 250 families had left the region.
UN sources
said that, as far as they were aware, this was the first time
in the recent past such compulsory instructions had been issued
for the region. The UN has come under fire in the past for not
immediately ordering the evacuation of non-essential staff and
dependents from strife-torn areas, or regions where there was
strong reason to believe confrontations were imminent. Even at
the start of the Gulf War, UN staff were not ordered to evacuate
their families; at first departure was voluntary and only later
were instructions issued.
During at
least two operations conducted by Israel against Hizbullah in
south Lebanon - Grapes of Wrath in 1996 and Accountability in
1993 - UN families living in Israel were not ordered to evacuate,
even though many lived in Nahariya, on the confrontation line.
Some analysts
said the step could be viewed as a precautionary measure in light
of the past two weeks' violent clashes between Palestinians and
Israelis, coupled with riots by Israeli Arabs and subsequent retaliatory
measures by Jews. Yet such orders to split up families, even temporarily,
are rare and reflect the organization's concern over the present
situation. It could also indicate fear that the Palestinian-Israeli
clashes could spread and spark a limited war, which in turn could
result in a more widespread regional conflict.
UN sources
said, however, that when their personnel must worry about their
families, the stresses under which they work are increased.
UNIFIL spokesman
Timur Goksel, who resides in Israel with his wife and two children,
confirmed last night that his family had left Israel, although
he was optimistic the separation would be for a very short time.
There are
no reports of UN dependents in other countries, such as Lebanon,
having been instructed to leave at this stage.
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