U.N. Body Demands Deportees’ Return

The Security Council late Friday unanimously denounced Israel’s deportation of more than 400 Palestinians and demanded their immediate return.

The vote was delayed for hours by U.S. concerns over the wording of the resolution--Washington’s latest rebuke of its main Middle East ally. But U.S. diplomats failed to persuade the 15-nation council to also condemn the terrorist killings of Israeli soldiers and police, which led to the expulsions to Lebanon.

The resolution “strongly condemns” the deportations of the suspected Muslim fundamentalists. The expulsion, the largest mass deportation of Arabs by Israel since the 1967 Middle East War, has further strained the already vulnerable peace process.

The Security Council demanded that Israel “ensure the safe and immediate return to the occupied territories of all those deported.” Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali also was asked to consider sending an envoy to the area.

Resolutions of the council are considered legally binding, but Israel regularly ignores such criticisms as unwarranted interference in its affairs.