News Highlights:
- Israeli army forces Palestinian to play his violin at checkpoint and then later claims he volunteered to play.
- Israeli soldiers admitting publicly that they are given orders to shoot Palestinian civilians after Btselem, Israeli human rights group, accuses the army of killing civilians and then covering it up.
- Jailed Fateh leader Marwan Bargouthi reportedly decides not to run in
upcoming Palestinian elections. - Hamas officials say they will join a unity Palestinian government and agree to a limited ceasefire.
- Vancouver celebrates International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinians with films and speakers, including MP Libby Davies.
- Fallujah refugees report U.S. is using poison gas and other banned weapons in the Iraqi city.
Feature:
The first part of the feature was a dedication to Patrick Newton, a founding
member of the Voice of Palestine Collective and its technical operator. Pat
passed away on November 25th, 2004 after a difficult battle with cancer. A
poem by Mahmoud Darweesh was read and it was also announced that a Patrick
Newton memorial scholarship fund has been set up to assist Palestinian
students in refugee camps in the West Bank (see our website for details).
The second part of the feature was in studio discussion about the January 9th Palestinian elections, who was running, what was the mood on the Palestinian street, and whether or not a free and fair election was possible. The candidacy of Marwan Bargouthi was discussed as well as the growing impatience in some Palestinian sectors with corruption in parts of the traditional leadership.
Focus on Zionism:
Excerpts of an urgent release from the Israeli Committee against Home
Demolitions, issued November 29th, were read. The release talked about two
homes demolished in Anata, despite the protests of Israeli and international
activists, and the trauma for the now homeless families and children.