Israeli Army Eases Crackdown

The Israeli army, relaxing its harsh and unprecedented security crackdown in the occupied territories, eased a 24-hour curfew on the Gaza Strip today and announced that the borders of the sealed-off West Bank will reopen early Friday as scheduled.

Military officials, following discussions at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, decided against extending the tough measures imposed on the territories for three days in a bid to prevent a new round of Palestinian riots. They said an order requiring reporters entering the territories to have an army escort also will be rescinded.