HEBRON, West Bank?Israeli forces took over this West Bank city early Monday, killing nine Palestinians, just hours after Israel’s Cabinet reluctantly agreed to a U.S. proposal to release Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from his month-long confinement and allow him to travel freely.

Israel said Arafat was now free to leave his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. However, Israeli tanks continued to surround Arafat’s compound Monday, and Palestinian officials said Israel told them Arafat could only travel once six wanted Palestinians had been moved from his headquarters to a prison in the town of Jericho. The prisoner transfer was expected in a day or two, they said.

Israel gave its consent to ending Arafat’s confinement with the understanding that the United States, in turn, would stand by Israel’s side in an increasingly tense showdown with the United Nations over a fact-finding mission to the Jenin refugee camp.