September 27, 1996

Arabs in Bethlehem, who nine months ago celebrated withdrawal of Israeli soldiers, now speak bitterly in their rock-strewn battleground of dashed hopes for peace and anger that erupted into deadly fighting; photos; Palestinians point to work and travel restrictions, economic blockades and new Israeli Government that has not carried out parts of peace agreement; say opening of entrance to archeological tunnel in Jerusalem was only final provocation (M)

Steven Wils, 47, continues his family's butter- and egg-wholesaling business, Harry Wils & Co, on Duane Street in lower Manhattan; he is last major butter-and-egg man in TriBeCa, now a trendy neighborhood; in 1959, TriBeCa was Washington Market, New York City's untrendy produce center; photos (M)

House ethics committee, five Republicans and five Democrats, votes unanimously to expand investigation of Speaker Newt Gingrich; raises four new charges: whether he has provided complete and accurate information, tax law issues and whether he improperly used staff and facilities of private foundation; report of outside counsel, James M Cole, is likely to remain secret for now, despite Democratic charges of stalling until after Election Day; allegations concern Gingrich's raising of tax-exempt money for college course he taught, and links between that course, Gopac political action committee and Progress and Freedom Foundation; also involved is Abraham Lincoln Opportunity Foundation, which operated out of Gopac office, raising tax-deductible donations ostensibly for inner-city youth; Gingrich photo (M)

James T Jennings pleads not guilty in Newark to charges of bilking investors in get-rich-quick investment scheme involving valet parking franchises in Florida (S) (New Jersey Daily Briefing)

New Jersey Assembly approves bill that would allow judges dividing assets in divorce proceedings to weigh value of a career relinquished by a spouse who stays home to raise children; bill is one of four divorce-related measures sent to Senate; another bill would include alimony as income when calculating child support payments (S) (New Jersey Daily Briefing)