US lets some embassy staff leave Israel, citing safety risks

JERUSALEM, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The ‌U.S. will ​permit ​non-emergency government personnel and family members to leave Israel over safety risks, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem ‌said on Friday, amid growing concerns about the risk ⁠of a military conflict with Iran.

The embassy did not elaborate on the ‌safety risks leading to ‌the "authorized departure", which allows affected personnel to decide whether to leave. It falls short of the ordered departure instituted ​this week for some personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.

The New York Times reported that Mike Huckabee, the ⁠U.S. Ambassador to Israel, told staff in an email that those wishing to leave "should ​do so TODAY".

"There is no need to panic," Mr. Huckabee was quoted by the newspaper as writing, "but ​for those desiring to leave, ‌it's important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later."

The embassy declined to comment on ⁠the newspaper's report.

The U.S. has built up its military in the Middle East as it negotiates with Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme. ⁠The latest round of talks ended on Thursday with no sign of ​a breakthrough.

Iran has threatened to strike American bases in the region if it is attacked, and an escalation could also draw in Israel, which ‌conducted a 12-day bombing campaign in June against Iran that Washington eventually joined.

Several countries have ‌begun withdrawing dependents of diplomatic personnel and non-essential staff from some ⁠locations in the Middle ‌East, or advising citizens ​to avoid travel to Iran.

(Reporting by Tala Ramadan and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Peter ‌Graff)

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