News Highlights:

• Israeli soldiers shoot and kill a 14-year-old Palestinian in Beit Hanoun, Gaza, the second child to be killed by Israeli forces in less than a week.
• Two protestors in Bilin are hit by gas canisters fired by Israeli soldiers, the same weapon that killed one Palestinian earlier this year.
• Israeli Minister Ehud Barak authorizes the construction of more settlement units in the occupied West Bank.
• U.S. envoy George Mitchell says he has obtained pledges from Arab states for various steps towards normalized relations with Israel.

Feature:

A live interview with Lenni Brenner from New York, an American activist and writer from Jewish background who is launching one of his books in paperback. The book, entitled “51 Documents: Zionist Collaboration with the Nazis”, was first published in hardcover in 2002 and Lenni gave some details about what was covered in this important book. There was also discussion of The Iron Wall by Vladimir Jabotinsky, written in 1923, and how Israel’s current government is implementing many of these hard-line policies.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a September 8th, 2009 article by Naomi Klein, detailing the reasons for the protest against the Toronto Film Festival due to its celebratory “spotlight” on Tel Aviv.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Israeli soldiers shoot a Palestinian boy and leave him to bleed to death near Ramallah, refusing access to ambulances.
• Reporters Without Borders condemn the arbitrary closure of a Bethlehem radio station by Israeli forces.
• Israeli soldiers raid Bilin village again, detaining more anti-wall activists.
• Gaza fishermen are arrested at sea by Israeli warships and pressured to become informants.
• Canadian and other filmmakers protest the Toronto Film Festival’s uncritical spotlight on Tel Aviv and Israel.

Feature:

The special feature focused on the 22nd anniversary of Voice of Palestine going on the airwaves at Coop Radio. On September 1st, 1987, exactly 22 years ago, the show premiered and immediately faced attempts to muzzle it from local Zionists. There was discussion of the importance of independent Palestinian media, especially at this difficult time in Palestinian history, and the panel also reflected on the show’s original mission statement that is as relevant now as ever. A statement from Radio Bethlehem 2000 which was just shut down by Israeli authorities was also presented. Finally, many messages of support and solidarity were read out that had been sent in by both local and international listeners, who can now listen to the livestream on the internet or catch the downloads on our website.

Focus on Zionism:

Due to the length and importance of the feature, Focus was postponed.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Ramadan in Gaza is no longer a time for celebration, as the scars and impact of the recent Israeli military onslaught are still visible.
• Palestinian village of Beit Iksa in the occupied West Bank is becoming completely encircled by Israeli settlements are checkpoints, and access to health and education services in larger centres is threatened.
• 3 Palestinian labor unions demand a meeting with Salam Fayyad, the appointed Palestinian PM, after the firing of one of their leaders; health workers say their rights are being violated and union activists targeted.
• Boycott of Israeli products gains momentum in the UK, as many call for settlement products to be labelled as such, including a prominent British chef and food journalist.

Feature:

The feature was a tribute to the Free Gaza movement (http://www.freegaza.org as it marked its one year anniversary of breaking the siege on Gaza. A statement from Free Gaza was presented, as well as a rebroadcast of our interview last year with Israeli activist Jeff Halper who had been on that historic first voyage to actually land on Gaza shores. The segment concluded with the reading of a poem dedicated to Gaza by the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who passed away in August 2008.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of an Aug. 14th, 2009 article by British writer Jonathan Cook, based in Nazareth, about a new Israeli land reform law that will allow the Israeli government to start selling off the properties of Palestinian refugees.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Bilin leader Mohammad Khatib is released from Israeli jail, but must still stand trial, even though his lawyer proves that charges against him are false; Mohammad is just one of many Bilin activists being targeted by Israeli forces.
• International human rights activists are beaten and arrested as they attempt to accompany Palestinian farmers in Saffa.
• Extremist settlers continue to harass Palestinian families in Sheik Jarrah in Jerusalem that are being forcibly evicted from their homes.
• Israeli PM Netanyahu vows to never repeat redeployment of Gaza settlers.
• Israeli Interior Minister calls for more Israeli settlement expansion, particularly in and around occupied East Jerusalem.

Feature:

A live conversation with Karin Brothers from Toronto, who had just returned from the United Church Conference in Kelowna, BC. Karin talked about the three resolutions put forward by the Toronto region calling for a boycott and sanctions against Israel that were not passed by the Conference. There was also a lively discussion about the one resolution that was passed, which contained conflicting sections, including one clause calling for: “The recognition by the emergent State of Palestine of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state within safe and secure borders”. Although the resolution also had progressive clauses in it, the discussion centred around the significance of this particular clause. Karin concluded by calling on people to support the elements in the Church trying to push for justice for the Palestinians.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of an August 18th, 2009 press release about the declaration by the Israeli government that their shooting of American activist Tristan Anderson in a non-violent demonstration was an “act of war”, which releases the Israeli government from any liability for damages.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Bilin demonstrators call for the release of leading activists, including Mohammad Khatib who was recently on a cross-Canada tour; they also call on the 6th Fateh conference to endorse popular resistance as part of its program.
• Israeli government ministers push for expansion of Jewish settlement on occupied Palestinian land.
• Fateh delegates vote in Bethlehem at the long-delayed general convention, amid skepticism from many Palestinian refugees.
• A new Israeli committee tasked with promoting the representation of Israeli Palestinians in government does not include a single Arab member.

Feature:

A live interview with Mazin Qumsiyeh from Bethlehem, President of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement and a professor at BirZeit and Bethlehem Universities. Dr. Qumsiyeh spoke with us about the Fateh Convention in Bethlehem, how people on the street felt about the proceedings and what the outcome might mean for future political developments. Mazin offered an independent viewpoint on the Convention, and explained that except for people making money on the event, most Palestinians seemed to dismiss it as irrelevant. There was also discussion of the corruption inside Fateh and how many security personnel were amongst the faces elected to the new central committee.

Focus on Zionism:
The text of an August 8th, 2009 letter from the Bilin popular committee to Amnesty International was read, criticizing Amnesty’s sponsorship of Leonard Cohen’s upcoming concert in Israel which is being handled by corporations with operations in the occupied territories.

Here is an audio file of this show: