News Highlights:

• Palestinian refugees in Lebanon bury the victims of Israeli violence on Nakbe Day, where at least 15 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine.
• UN agency says that Israel’s demolition policy of Palestinian homes has displaced 149 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank so far this year.
• Egyptian forces attack a Nakbe rally in Cairo outside the Israeli embassy, injuring over 300 people..
• Israeli navy fires warning shots at a Malaysian aid ship heading to Gaza, forcing it to retreat to Egypt.

Feature:

A live interview with Monzer Zimmo, a Palestinian Canadian living in Ottawa who recently spoke at a Vancouver fundraiser for the Canadian Boat to Gaza. Monzer, whose family is from Gaza, first talked about the importance of the Freedom Flotilla project, and about the difficult conditions in Gaza for the besieged Palestinian population. There was also discussion of the Nakbe Day anniversary and the new unity agreement between Palestinian groups, as well as how listeners could support the Palestinian people’s struggle.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a May 16th, 2011 report from the Christian Peacemaker Teams about how Palestinian trees have been destroyed in ongoing settler vandalism and harassment.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Freedom Flotilla 11 will set sail for Gaza in June, to once again try to break the Israeli siege on the Gazan population.
• Israeli military forces dispersed a protest in northern Gaza today against Israel’s unilaterally imposed no-go zone within Gaza that blocks cultivation of some of its most fertile farmland.
• Several Arab newspapers report that Qatar offers to supply natural gas to Israel, below market prices.

Feature:

The feature was a special Eyewitness Palestine: The Continuing Nakbe and included two reports of how Palestinians are still being ethnically cleansed and dispossessed 63 years later, be they under occupation or in the diaspora. The first report was from the village of Al Walaje, near Bethlehem, and detailed the history of Israeli land confiscation in the village since 1948 to the present; al Walaje will soon be completely enclosed by the Israeli separation wall and freedom of movement will be totally controlled by the Israeli army. The second report was from the Electronic Intifada and highlighted the increasing repression against Palestinian American activists, especially in the Chicago area.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of a May 6th, 2011 Haaretz story about how Israeli settlers are trying to promote their brand of tourism in the occupied West Bank.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Israeli settlers attack Palestinian construction workers in Hebron/AlKhalil, who were restoring a Palestinian home on Shuhuda St. which was previously closed due to settler violence.
• Israel’s Finance Minister says he will freeze transfers of Palestinian tax money that Israel collects, due to the national reconciliation agreement amongst Palestinian groups.
• Israeli forces continue to harass and arrest leaders of the Palestinian popular movements in Nabi Saleh, Bilin and other towns in the occupied West Bank.

Feature:

A live interview from Beit Sahour, Palestine with Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, a veteran Palestinian activist and academic. Mazin, who teaches at Bethlehem University, covered a wide range of topics, including the Israeli collective punishment against the village of Awarta, the closures at Easter time that limited the movement of Palestinian Christians, as well as the Palestinian national unity deal and its future prospects. Mazin also detailed his latest book Popular Resistance in Palestine, which listeners can order from his website and called on people to become informed and support the Palestinian struggle.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of a May 3rd, 2011 press release from the Int’l Solidarity Movement ISM about the release of 3 international volunteers who were held (with no charges being laid) for 48 hours in an Israeli prison.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Israeli forces injured 16 Palestinians during popular demonstrations across the occupied West Bank; in Bilin, people commemorated the 2 year anniversary of the killing of Bassem Abu Rahmeh.
• Palestinian Christians are denied access to their holy places in Jerusalem during Easter.
• An Israeli settler is killed and 4 others injured by Palestinian police after 30 settlers snuck into Nablus.

Feature:

The special feature was an interview with two members of the local Canadian Boat to Gaza committee, Irene MacInnes and Jase Tanner. Irene talked about the importance of the Canadian Boat being part of Freedom Flotilla 2 which is set to sail the end of May to once again try and break the siege on Gaza. She also gave details of the upcoming Vancouver event on May 7. Jase detailed his previous films about Gaza and how he would be making a new film about this upcoming flotilla.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of an April 23rd, 2011 Xinhua story about how Palestinian officials and Israeli peace groups were protesting an Israeli “ad” showing a Subaru car with a settler running over 2 Palestinian kids.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinians mourn the brutal murder of Italian solidarity activist Vittorio Arrigoni, found dead on April 15 in Gaza City after being kidnapped; Palestinians from all walks of society, both in the occupied territories and in the diaspora, hail Vittorio as a hero for Palestine.
• Activists in Gaza announce the launch of a rights monitoring boat off the coast of Gaza to accompany Gazan fishermen, and to be named Oliva in honor of Vittorio Arrigoni.
• Israeli military announce a ten-day “general closure” of the occupied West Bank for the Jewish Passover holiday, which will restrict Palestinian movement and freedom of worship for Easter.
• Israel’s ambassador to Cairo leaves Egypt, after huge protests in Cairo called for the lifting of the siege on Gaza.
• Security forces in Yemen kill another 4 protestors and wound hundreds, as the UN finally meets to discuss the Yemen situation.

Feature:

The feature was a live interview from Gaza City with Khalil Shaheen from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, about the murder of his friend Vittorio Arrigoni and the work of the PCHR. Khalil talked about the activist work Vittorio had done and there was also discussion about who had committed this heinous killing and who would benefit from it, especially if it discouraged other international activists from coming to support the Palestinian people. Khalil also reminded us of the deteriorating human rights situation in Gaza and the increasingly difficult situation Palestinians there are dealing with.

Focus on Zionism:

Focus was postponed due to the length and importance of the special feature.

Here is an audio file of this show: