News Highlights:

• Protestors in Bilin hold their weekly march against the apartheid wall; the Israeli army responds by injuring one person and arresting six others.
• The Israeli Peace Now movement reports that settler groups are renovating a building in the Ras al Amoud district of occupied East Jerusalem.
• U.S. envoy George Mitchell holds his 1st round of “proximity talks” as Israeli leaders vow to continue settlement expansion in all of Jerusalem.
• A Palestinian infant dies in Beit Ummar after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers.

Feature:

A live interview with Cindy and Craig Corrie, the parents of Rachel Corrie, the American student crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer 7 years ago. The Corries told us about the Olympia Rafah Solidarity Mural event that just took place, which is an artistic collaboration of many talents. They also updated us on the trial in Israel over the unlawful killing of Rachel, the first stage of which was in March, 2010. The trial had already highlighted new evidence, including the intervention of the head of Israel’s southern command to obstruct the testimony of the Israeli soldiers in the Caterpillar bulldozer that was involved. The Corries concluded by detailing the support they had received by Israeli progressive supporters during the trial and said they were hopeful the trial will finally bring some justice for their family.

Focus on Zionism:
Excerpts of a May 11th, 2010 press release from the Bilin popular committee about how the Israeli Secret Service (Shin Bet) denied Iyad Burnat the right to leave Palestine for speaking engagements in Europe.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Al Walaja, a Palestinian village near Bethlehem, marks Workers Day (May Day) as it continues its protests against the apartheid wall and settlements.
• Israeli authorities admit using Shin Bet intelligence operatives to spy on international activists in Ramallah (Area A) of the occupied West Bank.
• Israeli forces fire on two Palestinians at the Erez crossing, who were both recently deported from the West Bank to Gaza under the new Israeli military regulations regarding permits; both men only want to reunite with their families and children in the West Bank.
• BBC News has seen documents submitted to an Israeli court detailing how and why Israel maintains its blockade on Gaza.

Feature:

A live interview with Jewish American author and activist Alice Rothchild about her book Broken Promises, Broken Dreams. Alice, who is a womens rights and peace activist, told us about her experiences as a young person growing up in a Zionist environment and what had caused her to change her ideas. She also detailed her travels in the West Bank and Gaza and the medical and solidarity work she had participated in. Alice concluded by calling on people to support the global boycott Israel BDS movement as the best way of working for peace with justice in the area.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of an Electronic Intifada report on May 3rd, 2010 about the divestment vote at UC Berkeley which narrowly missed overturning the veto by the Student President.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinian villagers from Al Walaja continue their non-violent anti-wall protests, as the Bethlehem area becomes increasingly cut off by the apartheid wall Israel is building.
• An Israeli settler outpost, presumably illegal even under Israeli law that should have been dismantled, may soon be “authorized”.
• Settlers march in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem.

Feature:

A live interview with Omar Shaban, the president of UBC’s Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, about their upcoming national conference. SPHR, which is the most active group on Canadian campuses supporting Palestinian rights, will be meeting in Vancouver from May 7-9. Their conference, entitled “Seeking Mandela: Peace, Justice and Equal Rights for Palestinians” will feature keynote speakers and a variety of workshops on the boycott Israel movement, pro-Israel lobby attempts to silence debate, and activism on campus (see facebook page).

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a statement from Jewish Voice for Peace in California, calling for support for the students at UC Berkeley leading the divestment campaign from companies profiting from Israeli occupation.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Bilin commemorates Prisoners Day and marks the one year anniversary of the shooting death of Basem Abu Rahmah by Israeli forces; the village also holds its 5th annual conference this week.
• UN Rapporteur Richard Falk says the recent Israeli army decisions allowing deportation or imprisonment of anyone in the West Bank without the proper permit (pass) violate international law.
• Palestinian journalists are still waiting for an inquiry into the Israeli shooting of Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana’a, 3 years after his death.

Feature:

A live interview with Sidney Levy, from Jewish Voice for Peace in California, about the recent campaign at UC Berkeley to divest from companies supporting the Israeli occupation. Sidney detailed what had happened, including the original passing of the resolution by a large majority in the Student Senate, the subsequent veto by the Senate President and the efforts underway now to overturn the veto. He noted that the campaign had already achieved many successes and that other campuses are now planning similar resolutions, and called on listeners to support the Berkeley students.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of an April 19th, 2010 press release from the Christian Peacemakers Team-Palestine about their decision to endorse the boycott Israel (BDS) movement.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinian landowners in Silwan fear settlers are preparing to grab more of their land in occupied East Jerusalem.
• Leading Israeli human rights groups are challenging the new Israeli military orders that allows Israel to deport or imprison anyone in the occupied West Bank without the correct military permit.
• Israeli forces spray sewage water at a non-violent protest in Nabi Saleh against the apartheid wall.

Feature:

A live interview from Montreal with Egyptian Canadian poet and activist Ehab Lotayef about the launch of his new book of poetry. Ehab, who has published many poems over the year and whose niece singer Maryam Tollar has set them to music, detailed his new book “To Love a Palestinian Woman”, which can be ordered through his website (www.lotayef.com Ehab then went on to talk about the Palestinian solidarity movement in Canada and the future of the Free Gaza March, where he had been a member of the Coordinating Committee.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of an April 12th, 2010 commentary by Miftah about the new Israeli military orders that will effectively criminalize thousands of Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank.

Here is an audio file of this show: