EUROPEAN AND ARAB NATIONS AND THE UNITED STATES MOVED ON SATURDAY TO EVACUATE EXPATRIATES AND TOURISTS FROM LEBANON AS ISRAEL BOMBARDED THE COUNTRY, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. AN ITALIAN CONVOY OF VEHICLES LEFT BEIRUT ON SATURDAY WHILE THE UNITED STATES, FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS, BULGARIA, POLAND, AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SAID PLANS WERE UNDER WAY TO FERRY THEIR CITIZENS FROM LEBANON TO SYRIA OR CYPRUS. BRITAIN ADVISED PEOPLE NOT TO TRAVEL TO LEBANON AND TOLD ITS CITIZENS THERE TO "STAY FOR THE TIME BEING, EXERCISE CAUTION, KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE EMBASSY AND HEED LOCAL ADVICE." A SPANISH MILITARY TRANSPORT PLANE CARRYING 116 SPANIARDS AND 10 OTHER PEOPLE LANDED AT AN AIR FORCE BASE NEAR MADRID ON SATURDAY, HAVING TAKEN OFF FROM DAMASCUS EARLIER. THE PASSENGERS WERE DRIVEN TO SYRIA FROM BEIRUT ON FRIDAY. SOME 410 PEOPLE LEFT BEIRUT IN AN ITALIAN CONVOY OF VEHICLES ON SATURDAY, ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID. THE GROUP WAS MOSTLY MADE UP OF ITALIANS AND OTHER EUROPEANS, WHO WERE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN THE SYRIAN PORT CITY OF LATAKIA. TWO C-130 ITALIAN MILITARY AIRCRAFT WILL THEN FLY THE GROUP BACK TO ROME, WITH HELP FROM A COMMERCIAL FLIGHT DEPARTING FROM CYPRUS, THE MINISTRY SAID. AT LEAST 15,000 CARS BEARING FOREIGN NUMBER PLATES LEFT LEBANON ON THURSDAY THROUGH THE MAIN CROSSING POINT WITH SYRIA AT MASNAA, LEBANESE CUSTOMS OFFICIALS SAID, WITH HOTELS EMPTIED OF THEIR GUESTS IN A RUSH OF BUSES AND TAXIS THAT CREATED TAILBACKS ON THE MAIN BEIRUT TO DAMASCUS ROAD.
