Intervening in a longstanding dispute btwn. rival denominations of the Russian Orthodox Church, the PA forcibly evicts expatriate monks, nuns fr. Hebron's only Christian church, turns control over to reps. of the Russian Patriarch in Moscow. The emigre church leaders recently refused a PA request to lease some church-owned land to the Authority. (NYT 7/11; JP 7/19)
Taunted by stone-throwing settlers cursing the Prophet Muhammad, Palestinians clash with IDF soldiers guarding the Jewish enclaves of Hebron. IDF opens fire with rubber bullets, wounding 1 Palestinian. (NYT, WP, WT 7/6)
In Damascus, Syria, Oman hold talks on military cooperation. (SANA 7/5 in WNC 7/8)
For the 1st time, Lebanon issues $100 m. worth of World Bank-guaranteed treasury bonds in the U.S. (RL 7/5 in WNC 7/8)