News Highlights:
- Palestinians groups warn that the “ceasefire” is near collapse, if Israel continues its military operations; dozens of Palestinians have been killed since the Sharm al Sheikh summit in February.
- June 13th – Israeli soldiers barred medical personnel from entering Azzoun Atma village near Qalqila; a two-day total closure of the West Bank and Gaza was also imposed for the duration of a Jewish holiday.
- Palestinian sources report that Israel has already re-arrested dozens of the political prisoners just released; some will be given further administrative detention without trial or charge.
- The Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem has made an international appeal to safeguard the church’s autonomy; both Israeli and Palestinian governments have not recognized the removal from office of the former Patriarch, whom Israeli armed police are protecting.
- June 13th – Egyptian and U.S. officials to visit Israel and Palestine, ahead of the trip by Condoleeza Rice and the upcoming meeting between Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas.
Feature:
A special Eyewitness Palestine, with two reports from U.K. activists that
were part of a trip to Palestine in April, 2005, organized by the British
group www.waronwant.org. One report was by Nick Dearden, a senior organizer with War on Want, and he spoke movingly of the impacts of the apartheid wall on Palestinian daily life. The second section was highlights of an interview with a member of the Scottish rock bank, Belle and Sebastian, who were also on the trip.
Focus on Zionism:
A June 2nd press release from the Israeli human rights group, Btselem, about
an amendment being considered in the Israeli Knesset, that will exempt
Israel from paying compensation to Palestinians injured by its security
forces.
Here is an audio file of this show: