This week …

News Highlights:

  • May 21st – Israeli forces close key checkpoint in Gaza, paralysing north south
    traffic.
  • Palestinian Election Commission announces postponement of July 17th
    legislative elections due to delay in ratification of new election law.
  • Israel intends to demolish a whole Palestinian neighbourhood in East
    Jerusalem.
  • Ariel Sharon reiterates his vow to hold on to major West Bank settlement
    blocs permanently.
  • Laura Bush heckled at Haram AlSharif in Jerusalem, and also angers
    Palestinians by including visit to Jericho as part of her Israeli tour.

Feature:

Highlights of the speech by Tariq Ali, the well-known anti-war activist and
author, recorded on April 28th, 2005 in Vancouver. Tariq had spoken to a
large crowd at the Maritime Labour Centre, on the theme of Empire and
Resistance: Vietnam to Iraq. He talked about the media distortions on the
Iraqi situation, the similarities and differences between the resistance in
Vietnam and Iraq, and the future of the Palestinian struggle.

Focus on Zionism:

Due to the length of Tariq Ali’s speech, Focus was not presented this week.