News Highlights:
- On April 18th, Israeli forces clash with protestors after the assassination of Hamas leader Dr. Rantisi, wounding three teenagers.
- The same day, a Biddu villager dies after being shot in the chest by Israeli snipers during a demo against the apartheid wall.
- George Bush meets with Ariel Sharon on April 14th, and agrees to no Israeli pullback to the 1967 borders and no Palestinian right of return to their lands.
- Palestinian legislators to vote on corruption charges against two Palestinian cabinet ministers who funneled cement to Israeli companies building the apartheid wall.
- Mordecai Vanunu, the Israeli anti-nuclear activist, to be released April 21st, but under extremely restrictive conditions.
- Christian Peacemaker Team members report from Fallujah, Iraq saying “There was a massacre…and it will get worse”.
Feature:
A live interview from Palestine with Huweida Araf, one of the cofounders of the International Solidarity Movement. Ms. Araf talked about the recent campaigns against the apartheid wall, and how Palestinian villagers are determined to resist this latest theft of their land. She also explained how the Palestinians are suffering from all the curfews and checkpoints and urged supporters here to do what they could to help. Ms. Araf herself has been jailed due to her solidarity activities, and did not know until the day before the interview if she would be arrested or not.
Focus on Zionism:
A press release from Rabbis for Human Rights about the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields by the Israeli army. On April 15th, a 12 year old Palestinian boy, as well as Rabbi Arik Ascherman and an international volunteer, were all tied to or placed in front of Israeli jeeps and used as human shields. All of the rabbi’s objections and pleas to at least help the boy were met with physical and verbal threats.