Sharon frees Arafat as army sweep seizes 1,200

ISRAEL'S prime minister, Ariel Sharon, released the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, from house arrest after three months yesterday but the army continued to sweep through Palestinian villages and refugee camps, rounding up 1,200 men for interrogation.


Israeli troops guard arrested Palestinians as they enter the West Bank
Troops killed 12 Palestinians in exchanges of fire as they entered Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip early today, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.

The restoration of Mr Arafat's freedom of movement around the Palestinian territories marked a concession that was denounced by far-Right members of Israel's ruling coalition as the sign of a "lurch to the Left".