July 21, 2004

• Palestinian Legislative Council member Nabil Amr, a leading voice for anti-corruption reform of the Palestinian Authority, is shot twice in his right leg after returning from a television interview in which he criticized Yasser Arafat. (Reuters)
• The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution demanding that Israel obey the International Court of Justice ruling that the West Bank barrier should be dismantled. Israel condemns the resolution and announces that it will not stop building the barrier.
• Saudi security officials find the head of American hostage Paul Johnson in a refrigerator in a villa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
• Despite threats, Japan rebuffs demands that Japanese troops be withdrawn from Iraq. Deputy Cabinet Secretary Masaaki Yamazaki states: "For the rebuilding of Iraq, we must continue our support and not give in to terrorism". (Reuters)
• Following the decision of the Philippines to accede to hostage-takers' demands that it withdraw all 51 soldiers from Iraq, militants in Iraq abduct three Indians, two Kenyans and an Egyptian, announcing that the hostages would be beheaded unless their countries immediately announce the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.