Arafat Agrees To Try To Control Militants

Yasser Arafat reluctantly accepted Israeli and U.S. demands Monday that he renew efforts to rein in Islamic militants - an indication that the deep freeze on Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking may be thawing.

While Israel and the United States waited to see whether Arafat was serious, thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip marched against Israel and America, some throwing stones at soldiers and burning tires.

An American official confirmed that Arafat agreed to crack down on militant groups. The Palestinian leader apparently was won over by the promise of a broad U.S. peace initiative that would address Palestinians’ complaints against Israel.