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DATE=6/1/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250060
TITLE=ISRAEL/LEBANON (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: UNDER FIRE FROM HEZBOLLAH GUERRILLAS, ISRAEL'S SOUTH 
LEBANON ARMY MILITIA ALLY, THE S-L-A, HAS BEGUN WITHDRAWING FROM 
THE CHRISTIAN ENCLAVE OF JEZZINE, NORTH OF THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION
ZONE. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM.
TEXT: THE S-L-A IS LEAVING JEZZINE BECAUSE OF MOUNTING CASUALTIES
FROM HEZBOLLAH ATTACKS. AND THE PRO-IRANIAN GUERRILLAS KEPT UP 
THE PRESSURE AS THE WITHDRAWAL BEGAN -- SETTING OFF ROADSIDE 
BOMBS THAT KILLED TWO MILITIAMAN AND WOUNDED ANOTHER.
ISRAEL IS PROVIDING WHAT AMOUNTS TO AIR COVER FOR THE RETREAT. 
ITS JETS WERE IN ACTION IN LEBANON FOR A THIRD DAY (TUESDAY) IN A
ROW, HITTING SUSPECTED HEZBOLLAH POSITIONS AROUND JEZZINE AND 
ALONG THE NORTHERN THE EDGE OF ITS SELF-DECLARED SECURITY ZONE.
ISRAEL IS MONITORING THE PULLOUT TO SEE IF LEBANESE GOVERNMENT 
FORCES MOVE INTO JEZZINE AND CURB THE GUERRILLAS. IF THAT 
HAPPENS, IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR PRIME MINISTER-ELECT EHUD 
BARAK TO KEEP HIS CAMPAIGN PLEDGE TO HAVE ALL ISRAELI TROOPS OUT 
OF LEBANON WITHIN A YEAR.
ISRAELI ANALYST AVRAHAM SELLA -- A FORMER MILITARY INTELLIGENCE 
OFFICER -- SAYS THE BARAK PLEDGE, ECHOED BY OTHER CANDIDATES IN 
THE ISRAELI ELECTION, HAS BEEN UNSETTLING TO THE S-L-A WHICH HAS 
OPERATED UNDER ISRAELI SPONSORSHIP FOR TWO DECADES:
                      ///SELLA ACTUALITY///
         THE PROMISES UNDERTAKEN BY THE THREE MAIN CANDIDATES FOR
         OUR PREMIERSHIP, AND ESPECIALLY BARAK'S STATEMENT THAT 
         HE WOULD PULL OUT THE ISRAELI FORCES FROM LEBANON WITHIN
         A YEAR, BOOSTED THE FEARS OF THE RANK AND FILE AS WELL 
         AS WELL THE OFFICERS IN THE S-L-A ABOUT THEIR FATE. AND 
         I CAN'T BLAME THEM FOR THIS. EVENTUALLY, THEY UNDERSTAND
         THAT AT THE FATEFUL MOMENT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO RELY ON
         THE GOODWILL OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, AND THEY HAVE 
         TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
                          ///END ACT///
MR. SELLA, OF HEBREW UNIVERSITY, SAYS THE S-L-A COULD COLLAPSE IN
A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME AND FORCE ISRAEL TO LEAVE LEBANON 
UNILATERALLY AND NOT UNDER A HOPED-FOR SECURITY AGREEMENT WITH 
SYRIA AND LEBANON.
OUTGOING ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER MOSHE ARENS SOUGHT TO REASSURE 
THE S-L-A IN COMMENTS TO ISRAEL ARMY RADIO. HE SAID ISRAEL HAS A 
LONG TRADITION OF NOT ABANDONING PARTNERS AND ALLIES, AND THAT IT
WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DEFEND THE MILITIAMEN.
SOME S-L-A MEMBERS FROM THE JEZZINE ENCLAVE ARE REPORTED TO HAVE 
TURNED THEMSELVES OVER TO THE SMALL LEBANESE ARMY GARRISON IN THE
AREA, RATHER THAN MOVE SOUTHWARD WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES.
SENIOR OFFICIALS IN BEIRUT INSIST THAT LEBANON WILL NOT BE PARTY 
TO ANY SECURITY ARRANGEMENT FOR ISRAEL OR THE S-L-A IN THE WAKE 
OF THE JEZZINE WITHDRAWAL, AND THAT ISRAEL SHOULD PULL BACK 
UNCONDITIONALLY TO THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER IN LINE WITH U-N 
RESOLUTIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/PCF
01-Jun-99 8:25 AM EDT (1225 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.