News Highlights:

• Lawyers say that claims by Israeli settlers to Palestinian homes in Sheikh Jarrah are based on forged documents.
• Settler violence against the Palestinian population increases in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to Maan news agency.
• Israeli officials say their relations with the U.S. are strong, and that settlement building will continue.
• Free Gaza Movement announces a coalition of many organizations that will launch a flotilla to besieged Gaza in May, 2010.

Feature:

A live interview with Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh from Beit Sahour Palestine about the Easter campaign by Palestinian Christians to have freedom of access to the holy sites in Jerusalem. Mazin, who was part of some of the protest activities, told us about the statement by Palestinian Christian leaders detailing how Israeli authorities have restricted religious freedoms for all Palestinians and about how peaceful demonstrators were met with violence and arrests. Mazin also talked about the Palestinian Rapprochement Center that organizes alternative tours for people wanting to see the actual situation on the ground in Palestine (www.pcr.ps), a group for which he is currently chairperson.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of an April 5th, 2010 Electronic Intifada report about the Israeli air attacks that have twice destroyed the only major dairy in Gaza City producing cheese, butter and yogurt.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• 15 protestors are arrested on Palm Sunday by Israeli forces as they peacefully try to exercise their religious traditions of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; the 10 Palestinians in the group are held for at least 96 hours while the Israeli and international activists are released.
• Israeli PM Netanyahu says he is healing the “rift” with the U.S. government over settlement building.
• The trial in Israeli District Court over the unlawful killing of Rachel Corrie by the Israeli military will not resume until September, 2010 at the earliest.
• The largest Swedish pension fund bars Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems from its investments.

Feature:

The feature was a special Eyewitness Palestine marking both Land Day and the Global Boycott Israel Day. There were many actions around the world commemorating both occasions and our feature highlighted two reports, the first an open letter from Gazan students to the President of Berkeley’s Student Senate regarding the veto of a bill calling for divestment from two companies supporting Israeli occupation. The second report was highlights of an interview with Bilal Jadou from Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem, carried on the Electronic Intifada, about how his family are literally cut in half by the apartheid wall.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a March 29th, 2010 dispatch in the Ecumenical News Int’l. about how Palestinian Christians are protesting the travel permit system imposed by Israel that restricts their freedom of access to the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• 4 Palestinian youths killed in less than 24 hours, two near Nablus as they were on route to work in the family farm.
• 2 Palestinians hurt in Beit Jala, after Israeli forces violently disperse a rally commemorating Rachel Corrie.
• Gazans are disappointed with the comments of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, after waiting more than a year for UN action to alleviate their suffering.
• British government decision to expel an Israeli official over forged UK passports used in an assassination in Dubai is welcomed by Palestinian leaders.

Feature:

A live interview with Canadian author and activist Yves Engler, who has just released his latest book, Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid. Yves talked about his student experiences at Concordia University and what had brought him to support Palestinian rights. He explained what was in his book detailing Canada’s historic and current support for Israel, including the role of Christian Zionists and many leading Canadian politicians. There was also discussion of the Israeli Reut Institute report, which had urged Mossad (the Israeli security service) to “sabotage” people active in the global boycott Israel movement, specifically in Toronto and the Bay Area.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a dispatch by Dr. Mona ElFarra in Gaza about the lack of access to safe and clean water in Gaza and efforts by NGOs to help resolve the problem. The UN estimates Gaza will have no drinking water in the next 15 years.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• 91 Palestinians are injured today iin occupied East Jerusalem, as Israeli forces continue to suppress protests over Israeli settlement expansion.
• An Israeli military closure over the occupied West Bank continues and Paletinian men and boys under 50 are banned from attending religious services in Jerusalem.
• Israeli PM Netanyahu says his government will continue its settlement building throughout Jerusalem, confirming the recent announcement of 1600 new units.
• The family of Rachel Corrie, the American student killed by an Israeli bulldozer, begin their civil lawsuit in Israeli court.
• A new report details Brazil’s complicity with Israeli occupation, in particular the growing Brazilian arms trade with Israel.

Feature:

A live interview with Palestinian American playwright and activist Ismail Khalidi about the ongoing trial in Israel over the killing of Rachel Corrie, as the Corrie family finally got their day in court after 7 years. Ismail updated us on the testimony at the trial so far and detailed Israeli government efforts to obstruct certain witnesses from being able to attend. He also told us about the International Day of Action on this 7th anniversary of Rachel’s killing by an Israeli bulldozer in Rafah, Gaza. There was discussion of the response, or lack of, by the mainstream U.S. media to the trial and Ismail concluded by calling on listeners to support the Palestinian struggle, saying he has hopeful things were beginning to change.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a March 16th, 2010 action alert from the Palestinian NGO Al Haq about the continued Israeli settlement expansion in occupied East Jerusalem and calls on the international community to halt this erosion of Palestinian rights.

Here is an audio file of this show: