News Highlights:

• An Israeli air strike in Gaza kills two young Palestinian children and a teenager, and wounds another 14.
• The “Quartet” (U.S., U.N., EU and Russia) agrees to channel aid to Palestinians through a World Bank fund.
• Palestinian groups meeting to try and find agreement and form national unity government.
• On June 19th – World Refugee Day, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics released a report that said, according to UNRWA, there are over 4.2 million Palestinian refugees worldwide; Palestinian refugees in the occupied territories are 42% of the population there and 47% of those are under 15 years of age.
• Israeli Supreme Court rejects challenges to the route of the apartheid wall in and around East Jerusalem and accepted government allegations that security outweighs humanitarian concerns; in one case, the wall will go through a cemetery and an Israeli advocacy group says Israel’s goal is to strengthen its hold on east Jerusalem.

Feature:

Sid Shniad was the guest for the feature and talked about the upcoming World Peace Forum and the various activities that will be held. He spoke about the June 26th meeting entitled Palestine and Israel: No Justice, no Peace that will feature Nurit Peled-Elhanan, Cindy Corrie and Miryam Rashid, three women who bring unique perspectives to the issue. There was also analysis by the VOP host of the questionable pro-Israeli alliances of some people associated with the WPF, in particular local and Canadian politicians. (See www.cpavancouver.org for details)

Focus on Zionism:

Due to the length of the feature, Focus was not presented this week.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• June 13th – Israel kills another nine Palestinians, including two children, in an air strike.
• June 9th – eight Palestinians picnicking on a Gaza beach were killed by Israeli fire, the youngest just one-year-old.
• June 11th – Palestinian human rights groups report new Israeli restrictions barring Palestinians carrying foreign passports from re-entering the West Bank; the new measures affect many college professors and long-time NGO employees.
• Palestinian legislature delays a vote on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ referendum, now set for late July.
• Israel plans to build 54 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank.

Feature:

A live interview with Steve Heinrichs, a member of the Christian Peacemakers Team, who recently returned from a trip to Palestine. Steve spent two weeks as an eyewitness to Israeli military and settler policies and talked about his experiences, especially in Hebron and Bethlehem. There was also discussion of the negative role played by Christian Zionists in maintaining and supporting Israeli occupation.

Focus on Zionism:

Excerpts of a June 13th, 2006 article in the Guardian about Israel’s attempt to evade responsibility for the killing of the Palestinian family on a Gaza beach, but how the testimony of a former Pentagon official sent to investigate by Human Rights Watch contradicts official Israeli conclusions.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Hamas and Fateh hold crisis talks over the national reconciliation document drawn up by leaders held prisoner in Israeli jails; Mahmoud Abbas says he will call a referendum on the proposal by the weekend if no agreement is reached.
• Israeli air strike kills two Palestinians, and wounds four others; Palestinian militants fire Qassam rockets in response.
• Israeli soldiers at checkpoints in the West Bank are harassing female relatives of Palestinians “wanted” by the Israeli military.
• 73 year old Palestinian farmer attacked by settlers returns home from hospital, but still cannot walk normally.

Feature:

The feature was a special Eyewitness Palestine, with two reports, one excerpts of an article in Haaretz by Gideon Levy about the international boycott campaign against Israeli institutions, and the other a report by the International Solidarity Movement about the planned deportation by Israel of an American piano tuner who had come to volunteer his skills to Palestinians in the occupied territories and thereby make life “a little more bearable for people”.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a June 5th, 2006 article from the Israeli Haaretz newspaper about the lack of any progress in charging a gang of youths following an attack on two Arab Israelis that sent both to hospital and left one still needing further surgery.

Download the audio file of the show:

News Highlights:

• 8 Palestinians have been killed in 2 days, as Israel intensifies its air and ground attacks.
• May 25th – Palestinian groups start talks as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announces he will call referendum on national unity proposal.
• Israel threatens four Palestinian legislators that they must renounce Hamas membership or lose their residency rights in Jerusalem.
• May 29th – the largest lecturer’s union in Britain voted in favour of boycotting Israeli academics and institutions that do not oppose occupation.
• Israeli ombudsman issues annual report, including one incident where Israeli troops did night-time military exercises involving a “mock raid” on an Israeli Palestinian’s home in the Galilee without even notifying the family in advance.

Feature:

A live interview with Ali Mallah, from Canadian Union of Public Employees CUPE – Ontario, about the resolution on Palestine just passed at their convention. The resolution supported the campaign of boycott and divestment against Israel until it recognizes the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and complies with international law. CUPE also committed to developing education programs. Ali explained how the vote on the resolution had been unanimous and also expressed how proud he was of the union for its courageous stand. He concluded by stating that the attacks on the union by right wing and pro-Israeli lobbyists had already begun and called on the Arab Canadian community to show their support.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a May 30th dispatch from the International Womens Peace Service about an Israeli raid and home demolitions in the Palestinian village of Brukin.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Israel announces expansion of 4 West Bank settlements; Peace Now labels it “an attempt to steal more Palestinian land”.
• Thousands of mourners attend funeral for 4 Palestinians, including two women and a 4-year-old child, killed in an Israeli air strike.
• EU announces plan to provide aid to Palestinians, but stresses it requires assurances that lending institutions will not be threatened with U.S. sanctions.
• Israeli PM Olmert goes to Washington for meetings with George Bush and other U.S. officials.
• Britain looks into possible war crimes charges against Israeli soldiers that murdered two British citizens in Gaza in 2003.

Feature:

A live interview with Harjeep, a member of the Status Coalition in Vancouver, that is part of the National Day of Action for Immigrant Rights on May 27th. The newly formed Status comprises many local immigrant groups and is organizing a march in Vancouver. Harjeep talked about the repression against many immigrants in Canada, especially after 9/11. There was also discussion of the plight of Palestinian refugees in Canada, who are in a particularly vulnerable situation.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a May 17th eyewitness report from the International Solidarity Movement about the targeting and harassment of medical workers in Nablus by the Israeli army.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• May 15th – Israeli legislators and civil rights groups criticize High Court backing for Israeli law that bans family unification for Palestinians married to Israeli citizens.
• May 14th – two int’l peace activists shot by Israeli military leave hospital; they are considering suing the Israeli military, after being shot in the head with rubber bullets.
• Israeli bank says it is severing ties with Palestinian banks, after discussions with Israeli Finance Ministry.
• Lebanon and Palestinian officials embark on talks to improve conditions in the refugee camps; Beirut office of the Palestine Liberation Organization reopened May 15th.

Feature:

An in studio interview with Sobhi Al Zubaidi, a Palestinian filmmaker from Ramallah recently arrived in Vancouver. Sobhi is in Vancouver doing graduate research and spoke about his films, including the Caged Bird’s Song, which was shown in Vancouver in November, 2004. He also talked about the situation in Palestine and how people are coping with daily life, as well as the state of Palestinian film and culture.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of the May 16th, 2006 Amnesty International release criticizing the Israeli High Court decision to uphold the law denying family rights on the basis of ethnicity or national origin.

Here is an audio file of this show: