1.   In the West Bank, the army eased its blockade of Bethlehem in what it called a gesture for the Christmas season.

2.   The new national army also will ease the burden that American troops shoulder here in the war against terrorism.

3.   But now even the conservative army is easing its tradition of requiring senior officers to adopt Hebrew or Hebrew-sounding names.

4.   Davar Rishon said the army might ease the West Bank blockade on Sunday and permit free movement between towns and villages.

5.   The army has eased the restrictions slightly since the beginning of the closure, allowing ambulances and sick people through checkpoints if they carry written permission from Israeli hospitals.

6.   The army on Wednesday eased a curfew in the southern city of Maan, battered by two days of riots over U.S. threats to attack Iraq.

7.   The Israeli army eased its closure on the West Bank Thursday to let thousands of Moslem worshippers enter the city.

8.   The Haaretz daily said the army had also eased open-fire restrictions on its soldiers, who were instructed to shoot Palestinian even approaching their positions.

9.   The Haaretz daily said the army had also eased open-fire restrictions on its soldiers, who were instructed to shoot Palestinians even approaching their positions.

10.   The Israeli army eased its closure of the Palestinian areas slightly on Wednesday after sealing them for four days over the Jewish New Year holiday.