News Highlights:
- Palestinians in Gaza try to stock up on basics, as Israel cuts fuel supplies to Gaza and UN officials warn of an impending humanitarian disaster if the Israeli siege continues.
- Mahmoud Abbas appoints new pro-Western cabinet, headed by Salam Fayad, after dissolving the unity government; Hamas officials say the move is illegal.
- Hundreds of Palestinians, including elderly and sick people, stranded at the Erez crossing border between Gaza and Israel, after Israeli officials close it on Saturday.
- New Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is planning an all-out attack on Gaza soon.
Feature:
A special Eyewitness Palestine/instudio discussion about the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and what might happen next. Two opinion pieces by Palestinians were presented, one from Karma Nabulsi carried in the British Guardian calling on Palestinians to dissolve the PA and reconvene the PLO and the Palestine National Council, and the other from Khalid Amayreh from Hebron/Alkhalil, saying that the majority of Palestinians will not accept this new quisling government. The instudio discussion concluded by telling listeners that the show will be dedicated in the near future to presenting the voices and ideas of secular Palestinians, both from Palestine and the diaspora, with their views on how to proceed now.
Focus on Zionism:
Highlights of the leaked document by retiring UN official Alvaro de Soto, carried in the Asian Tribune on June 18th, 2007, with his scathing comments on the pro-Western UN role in hampering any hopes for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Here is an audio file of this show: