This week Voice of Palestine interviews Ben Norton, an American freelance writer, artist and activist. His work has been published in CounterPunch, Electronic Intifada, Common Dreams, ThinkProgress, and ZNet. One of his recent articles was about an attack on a young Palestinian woman by Zionists in Brooklyn, and Ben discusses in detail incidents of anti-Palestinian racism and racism in general in the U.S. and Israel.

This week Voice of Palestine talks with Steven Salaita, a Palestinian American professor who was fired from his position at the University of Illinois for his political views. Prof. Salaita, who specializes in the links of indigenous peoples, had been hired by the Department of American Indian Studies. He updates us on the status of his case, as well as the overwhelmingly positive support he has received.

This week Voice of Palestine talks with Sumoud Sa’adat from Addameer about the upcoming week of action Oct. 17-25 to free Ahmad Sa’adat, her father, and all Palestinian political prisoners. The week of activities also emphasizes on the denial of family visits and the struggle and conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Sumoud also updates us on Addameer’s work as a prisoner support association.

This week Voice of Palestine talks with Marcello Di Cintio from Calgary, an award-winning author and the writer of Song of the Caged Bird: Words as Resistance in Palestine, which is set to be released this month. The book is about his experience, as a Canadian, teaching Palestinian students at the Palestine Writing Workshop in Ramallah, and is also about Palestinian literature and how words can be used as a tool of resistance.

This week Voice of Palestine interviews Brian Avery, an American social justice activist who was shot in the face by Israeli troops in April 2003. We talk with Brian about his experiences, the role of the International Solidarity Movement of which he was a member, as well as US policy on Palestine and the current situation 21 years after the Oslo accords.

This week Voice of Palestine has a wide-ranging conversation with Kevin Neish, a Victoria-based human rights activist who has been in Gaza. Kevin, a Mavi Marmara survivor and longtime supporter of Palestinian rights, updates us on the new Freedom Flotilla planned for later this year and also discusses the brutal siege on Gaza.

Hassan Husseini on the Sit-In at MP Paul Dewar’s office
This week Voice of Palestine cohost Hanna Kawas talks with Hassan Husseini, a trade union and social justice activist, about last week’s sit-in at NDP MP Paul Dewar’s office in Ottawa. Hassan was part of the action and he updates us on what happened and also discusses solidarity activities across the country.

This week Voice of Palestine interviews Joe Catron, a US International Solidarity Movement activist in Gaza, Palestine. He has been filing almost daily eyewitness reports of the carnage from the Israeli bombardment and was one of the volunteers trying to protect Al Wafa hospital last week.

Samah Sabawi on Poetry, Gaza and Palestine
This week Voice of Palestine interviews Samah Sabawi, a playwright/poet and human rights advocate. A Palestinian from Gaza, she has written and produced several critically acclaimed plays as well as having co-authored the book Journey to Peace in Palestine.

This week Voice of Palestine interviews Palestinian artist Rehab Nazzal about her exhibit currently on display at the Karsh-Masson Gallery located in Ottawa’s City Hall. She detailed the composition of the exhibit, the concerted campaign to try and censor her work by the Israeli ambassador and lobby as well as the positive response by the Canadian public and other artists.