News Highlights:
- Dozens of Israeli settlers occupy Palestinian home still under construction in Hebron/Alkhalil, alleging they bought it; settlers have attempted this before with another building and Palestinian owner says all the ownership documents are in his possession.
- Arab League SG Amr Moussa calls on Israel to restart Mideast negotiations based on the 2002 Arab initiative, which will be reaffirmed at the League Summit on March 28th.
- Norwegian official is the first European diplomat to hold talks with the new Palestinian unity government, as he meets with PM Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza; Israel is pressuring international community to boycott the new government.
- U.S. official holds talks with new Palestinian Finance Minister, one of four Palestinian cabinet ministers it will reportedly deal with.
- 4th anniversary of the murder of American peace activist Rachel Corrie by an Israeli military bulldozer is marked by opening the first home in a rebuilding campaign in Gaza.
Feature:
Our guest live on the phone from Palestine/Israel was Mia Amir, an Israeli-born organizer, poet and researcher. Mia, who now lives in Canada, explained why she was in Palestine/Israel, what she had seen, and what her experiences had been. She related one story of a Palestinian woman friend from Deheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, who works in Jerusalem, and had to get up at 4 am to travel a torturous and dangerous route around the separation wall to get to her job (previously a 15 minute trip). There was also discussion about the strategies for peace in the area and ways to support the Palestinian people.
Focus on Zionism:
Highlights of a March 19th, 2007 ISM press release about a photo exhibit by Palestinian Khaled Jarrar showing the daily suffering of Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints.
Here is an audio file of this show: