Israel Expels 8 Arabs, Will Deport 12 Others

Israel today expelled to Lebanon eight Palestinians described as instigators of the four-month Arab uprising and ordered the deportation of 12 others, including six involved in last week’s clash with settlers in which an Israeli girl died.

The army said five of those deported today were from the Gaza Strip and three from the West Bank.

In Washington, the State Department said it “strongly opposes” the expulsions. Spokesman Charles E. Redman said such deportations “are counterproductive, they are in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and they only further inflame passions.”

Israel deported four West Bank Palestinians on Jan. 13, sparking protests of the action as a violation of the Geneva Conventions governing the treatment of citizens in occupied zones.

Appeal Possible

The 12 other Palestinians ordered deported today may appeal.

Israel has deported more than 1,000 Palestinians since 1967.

Six of the 12 ordered deported are from the West Bank village of Beita, the site of a controversial clash between Israeli teen-agers, their two armed guards and Palestinians. Two Arabs and an Israeli girl died in the melee.

An army statement said the eight Palestinians who were deported to Lebanon today were “leading organizers and instigators of the recent violent public disturbances” in the occupied territories.

The statement said those from Beita who were slated for expulsion had played “an active part in the attack” on the Israeli teen-agers, who were on a hiking expedition.

48 Hours Notice Promised

The army, meanwhile, promised the Supreme Court that it will give 48 hours notice before destroying more homes in Beita and that it will give villagers “a reasonable amount of time” to appeal.

The army says it has destroyed 13 houses of villagers accused of inciting the clash. Villagers claimed that 23 houses were knocked down.

Nili Arad, a state prosecutor, said the army has no immediate plans to destroy more homes in Beita. But she stressed that the army investigation of the clash is not over and may turn up more suspected inciters.

The army is expected to release its findings on the Beita clash in a few days.

‘Day of Firebombing’

On Sunday, Jewish settlers and right-wing legislators criticized the army for saying Tirza Porat, 15, had been accidentally killed by a shot from a gun carried by a Jewish settler who was guarding the teen-age hikers. They insisted that she was shot by an Arab whom some saw pointing a rifle from a rooftop. (Story on Page 8.)

Also today, Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip shuttered their stores and stayed home from jobs in Israel and leaders of the uprising called for a “day of firebombing” later this month.

Business came to a virtual standstill in towns and cities in the West Bank and Gaza today as residents observed a commercial strike.