Friday, April 27, 1990

Interim P.M. Shamir accepts Pres. Herzog's mandate to try to form new Israeli gov't., quickly dismisses Labor suggestion that short-term "national unity" gov't. be formed to revise Israel's electoral system [JDS 4/27 in FBIS 4/27; NYT, LAT 4/28].

Church of the Holy Sepulcher locks its doors for first time in 800 years, all other Christian shrines in Holy Land also close in protest over presence of Jewish settlers in St. John's Hospice [NYT, LAT 4/28].

General strike called for by UNLU is observed in W. Bank [JDS 4/27 in FBIS 4/27].

Syria's Pres. Asad arrives in Moscow for talks with Mikhail Gorbachev (cf. 4/ 28) [TASS 4/27; MET 5/8-14].

Several Katyusha rockets are fired into Israel's "security zone" in S. Lebanon; no injuries [MET 5/8-14].