News Highlights:
- Mar 29th – Btselem, the Israeli human rights group, issues report about Gaza
entitled “One Big Prison”; report details violations of rights resulting
from Israeli restrictions on movement of people and goods. - Conflict escalating between Israeli officers and settlers; one officer said
he is more afraid of Jewish settlers than Palestinians. - March 29th – Limerick City Council in Ireland will consider a motion to declare
the city a “Caterpillar Free Zone”, banning all Caterpillar machinery from
city worksites. - Mar 27th – Israeli PM Ariel Sharon says U.S. agreement on Israel keeping the
large settlement blocs “stands firm”.
Feature:
The feature was an instudio panel discussion about the latest US
re-affirmation regarding the large Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The statements of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice confirming U.S.
support for Israel “keeping” (i.e. annexing) the big settlement blocs were
analyzed, and it was noted that Ariel Sharon has been pursuing this policy
for a long time. A report from the Israeli Committee Against Home
Demolitions explained that once the 3500 new units announced last week are
built in the area between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim,
there is absolutely no hope for any future viable Palestinian state.
Focus on Zionism:
An urgent press release issued March 28th by the Gaza Community Mental Health
Programme stated that new radiation inspection equipment being used by
Israel at the Rafah border crossing in Gaza poses a major health risk to
Palestinian travelers.
Here is an audio file of this show: