This week …

News Highlights:

  • Free Gaza movement says it is already planning its next flotilla, which is both “legal and necessary” as world governments refuse to pressure Israel to end its blockade.
  • Int’l. Cmte. of the Red Cross states the Israeli blockade of Gaza is a violation of the Geneva Conventions and constitutes collective punishment of a civilian population.
  • Oxfam Int’l also calls for an end to the Gazan blockade and says the limited measures initiated recently by the Israeli government to ease some restrictions are not enough.
  • Israeli bulldozers demolish more Palestinian buildings in occupied East Jerusalem.

Feature:

A live interview with Victoria activist Kevin Neish about his experiences on the Gaza aid flotilla when it was attacked by Israeli navy commandos and in Israeli detention afterwards. Kevin explained why he participated in the flotilla and how he had done human rights volunteering in many places around the world. He talked about the deadly Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara ship where he was present, what he saw and heard, the physical abuse heaped on all of the volunteers by the Israeli military, his time in an Israeli prison and how he finally flew out to Turkey with the other activists. There was also discussion and criticism of both the Canadian government position and the coverage by the mainstream Canadian media, in particular the CBC. Kevin concluded by talking about his upcoming trip to Vancouver on June 18, where he will address a public meeting at the VPL.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of a June 14th, 2010 press release from the Israeli peace group Gush Shalom criticizing the validity of the commission set up by the Israeli government to investigate the raid on the aid flotilla.

Here is an audio file of this show: