Deportees may see lawyers

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel announced yesterday that it would allow family members and lawyers to meet about 400 expelled Palestinians near their tent camp in south Lebanon.

The offer was in the state's final response to the Supreme Court, which has been holding hearings on the legality of the expulsion of the alleged Muslim extremists.

The Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, said he hoped the Supreme Court would uphold the government's decision. Israeli television said the court was expected to rule this week.

International pressure is mounting on Israel to repatriate the deportees, who were expelled on 17 December. Yesterday four senior European emissaries arrived to discuss the expulsions with Israeli leaders.