UN Envoy Visits Israel And Deportees

ISRAEL, under international pressure to take responsibility for 415 Palestinians deported to Lebanon, had a chance to defend its position when a special United Nations envoy arrived yesterday.

UN Undersecretary-General James Jonah will investigate the circumstances surrounding the deportation and the refusal by both Israel and Lebanon to allow humanitarian aid to the Palestinians through their lines.

Mr. Jonah is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and members of the Palestinian negotiating team to the Middle East peace talks.

He is expected to travel to Lebanon tomorrow to visit the camp of the deportees, accused of being members of fundamentalist Muslim groups.

Lebanon reiterated that it would not allow Israel to use it as a dumping ground for Palestinians from the occupied territories.