News Highlights:

• Palestinian female political detainee Hana Shalabi is moved to solitary confinement by Israeli prison authorities as punishment for her hunger strike; as was the case with previous hunger strikers, Hana is protesting the practice of administrative detention without charge or trial.
• Mahmoud Abbas says Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing in occupied Jerusalem.
• US judge in Olympia Washington dismisses a lawsuit against the Olympia Food Coop for the its boycott of Israeli goods.

Feature:

A live interview with Wael Ghuneim, a Palestinian Canadian from Hamilton, about the upcoming Global March to Jerusalem. Wael detailed the motivation behind the March to protest Israeli occupation and racism against Palestinians, and to call for the protection of Jerusalem and its holy places. He explained that groups from over 60 countries are already involved in the planning committee, and that there will be actions in those countries as well as in Palestine and on its borders. Wael concluded by calling on listeners to support the project in all ways, including financially, and directed them to the North American chapter’s website for more info.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a February 27th, 2012 report from the Int’l Middle East Media Centre IMEMC about how a Japanese distributor was no longer carrying products from the Israeli company Ahava, which are made in a settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan ends his hunger strike after Israeli officials agree to not extend his administrative detention, which is incarceration without charge or trial.
• Palestinian detainees at Israel’s Ramon prison are being punished for protesting abuse against their families, who are humiliated and strip searched when they visit.
• Palestinian activist Bassem Tamimi from the village of Nabi Saleh tells an Israeli military court that the charges against him are ridiculous; he challenges the Israeli regulations that make any gathering of more than 10 people an “illegal protest”.

Feature:

A live interview with Janan Abdo from Haifa, a Palestinian activist and researcher, who is involved in raising awareness about Palestinian political prisoners, including her husband Ameer Makhoul. She first updated us on the latest developments about Khader Adnan and his hunger strike, noting the concerns about his health and the issue of administrative detention. Janan then explained how the Palestinian Israeli detainees are also arrested and held under extremely oppressive circumstances, and gave details of her husband’s case to show how there are two different set of rules within the Israeli judicial system. She concluded by talking about the upcoming April 17th International Day of Action for Palestinian Prisoners and what people can do to show their support.

Focus on Zionism:

Due to the length and importance of the interview, Focus was postponed for this show.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinians from the village of Bilin will mark 7 years of resistance to the separation wall, and will dedicate the anniversary to the Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan currently on hunger strike; Israeli courts just rejected an appeal for his release.
• Israeli settlers say they have reached a deal with the Israeli government to “relocate” the illegal outpost of Migron that will take up to 18 months, going against a previous High Court ruling.
• The internet group Anonymous marks the one year anniversary of the Bahraini uprising by shutting down the website of Combined Systems Inc., the US company that manufactures the teargas used against many protest rallies, including in Bahrain and Palestine.

Feature:

A live interview with Dr. Peter Larson, a board member of the National Council on Canada Arab Relations, on his recent trip to Israel/Palestine and his upcoming presentation in Vancouver – The Palestinians of ’48, The Struggle for Democracy. Dr. Larson explained about NCCAR and the work it does challenging Canadian policy on the Middle East, and detailed the experiences he had on his two trips to the region, especially his most recent trip that investigated the discrimination Palestinian Israelis face. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of educating as many people as possible about the injustices faced by the Palestinians.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a February 14th, 2012 press release from Palestine House in Toronto, about the recent decision by the Canadian government to cut funding for settlement and language instruction programs administered by Palestine House.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinian leader Khader Adnan, imprisoned by Israeli authorities under “administrative detention” with no charge, enters 53rd day of his hunger strike; other political detainees that have joined the hunger strike have been put in solitary confinement.
• A Jerusalem monastery was defaced with graffiti bearing the hallmarks of Israeli settler extremists; such attacks have increased recently against Palestinian homes and other buildings, including mosques, as part of the settler “price tag” campaign.
• An Israeli court upholds the petition to stop the sale of Lifta village land, the last remaining Palestinian village from the 1948 forced dispossession; however, exiled village residents have never been allowed to return to their homes and lands.

Feature:

Our feature was a live interview with Lee Maracle, indigenous poet, author and activist, about the Global Day of Solidarity with Leonard Peltier. Peltier has been unjustly imprisoned in a U.S. jail for 35 years, and Lee also detailed the complicity of the Canadian courts in his deportation from Vancouver and the solidarity campaign that was waged at that time. There was discussion of indigenous rights, the similarities of settler colonialist projects including Israel and North America, and how best to support the struggles of all indigenous people.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a February 6th, 2012 Maan news agency report about Israeli authorities closing the investigation into the shooting of an Israeli activist with a tear gas canister in the village of Nabi Saleh.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinian officials condemn the Israeli government decision to offer financial incentives to move to the illegal Israeli settlements, built on occupied Palestinian land.
• Israeli forces demolish more Palestinian homes and buildings in occupied East Jerusalem, as UN officials urge an halt to such practices.
• Palestinian officials say no progress was made at the “exploratory talks” in Amman, Jordan with Israeli representatives, as Canada’s Foreign Minister visits the region and strongly supports Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance regarding negotiations.

Feature:

A live interview with Prof. Robin Kelley from the University of Southern California about his participation in a recent scholars delegation to Palestine. Robin explained how he got involved in supporting progressive causes, including the Palestinian struggle, and then detailed his visit to Palestine, what cities he visited and what he had observed. The delegation issued a statement after their trip, which called for intensification of the cultural and academic boycott against Israel. Robin concluded by saying that, despite the strong intimidation by the pro-Israel lobby, people must continue to speak out and push for justice for the Palestinians.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a January 29th, 2012 commentary by Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh from Bethlehem reaffirming a statement by Martin Luther King Jr. that we should not become silent about the things that matter.

Here is an audio file of this show: