News Highlights:

• Four Palestinians died from kidney diseases in Gaza, after hospitals forced to cut back treatments due to economic blockade.
• EU is preparing to channel emergency funds to the Palestinian government on its own, if the Quartet does not agree on a solution.
• May 9th – U.S. finally agrees to a new program to help Palestinians financially, but no details are specified.
• May 8th – Hamas and Fateh leaders call for calm, after clashes on the weekend between the two groups leave three Palestinians dead.
• Palestinian PM Ismail Haniya vows to not allow the situation to break out into civil war.

Feature:

A special Eyewitness Palestine, with on the ground reports from Palestinian farmers in the Jordan Valley, who are experiencing the new Nakba of 2006. The conclusion to the farmers’ stories at www.stopthewall.org stated that the Israeli government is attempting to make Palestinian life impossible in the Valley and that a boycott of Israeli products is more important than ever.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s article in the May 7th Int’l. Herald Tribune, criticizing the economic blockade on the Palestinian territories.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• 44 year old Palestinian woman shot in her home in Tulkarem on May 1st; Israeli human rights group Btselem says Israeli forces are indifferent to the safety of Palestinian civilians.
• U.S. is trying to block proposals to pay Palestinian government salaries directly to the employees through an Arab or EU trust fund.
• James Wolfensohn, int’l envoy for the “Quartet”, leaves his position and says policy of cutting off aid to new Palestinian government is a “losing gambit”.
• Canadian court rejects legal challenge to put Jerusalem, Israel on Canadian passport.

Feature:

An interview with Professor David Noble from York University, who is currently engaged in a $10 million lawsuit against York regarding the influence of the pro-Israeli lobby on campus. Professor Noble, who is an author of 7 books, explained how he had detailed the actions of the Zionist lobby at York and had been smeared as anti-Semitic in return, even though he himself is Jewish. He also talked about issues of dissent and free speech on Canadian campuses and what people can do to take a stand.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of a May 2nd, 2006 news report from Gaza about how Palestinian women prisoners are forced to give birth in jail and are handcuffed during labour. Israel now holds 145 Palestinian female prisoners, including mothers and wives of activists recently arrested as a pressure tactic.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Apr 23th – Israeli police prevented hundreds of Armenian Orthodox worshipers from taking part in a sacred pre-Easter ceremony in Jerusalem; Armenian archbishop denounces lack of free access to holy places.
• Many banks, including the Arab Bank, are submitting to U.S. pressure to not transfer funds to the new Palestinian Authority; Bush administration has threatened to “take action” against any bank that deals with money coming to the PA.
• Apr 22nd – Bilin villagers institute boycott of Israeli products; they also hold a anti-wall protest with Israeli and international activists that is attacked by Israeli troops.
• Apr 23th – clashes between Hamas and Fateh members in Gaza escalate; Palestinian officials hope to contain the tensions.

Feature:

A live interview with Ayad Abueqtaish, a former Palestinian political prisoner and research coordinator with Defence for Children Int’l Palestine. Ayad is on a cross-Canada tour explaining the circumstances of the almost 9000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. He also talked about the inhumane conditions of the child prisoners, including torture, and how their future is seriously impacted, especially in regards to the right to education.

Focus on Zionism:

Highlights of an April 23rd, 2006 release from the Int’l Womens Peace Service, regarding the situation on the ground in the Palestinian Salfit region created by the Israeli wall and checkpoints.

Here is an audio file of this show:

News Highlights:

• Palestinian Prisoners Society issues a report on Prisoners Day (April 17), saying 186 political prisoners have died in Israeli jails since 1967, including 12 since Sept/2000.
• Report also says that 20% of the Palestinian population has been imprisoned by Israel.
• April 17, Israeli shelling kills Palestinian teen in Gaza; in Nablus, Israeli soldiers injure a 13-year-old boy in a raid following a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
• Israeli PM Ehud Olmert blames Hamas for the bombing, even though Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility and Hamas has been observing a ceasefire; as a response, Israel revoked the Jerusalem residency rights of 4 Palestinian legislators.

Feature:

An interview with Issam al Yamani from Ontario, who is currently facing a deportation order from Canada. Issam explained how he had moved here over 20 years ago as a landed immigrant and has raised his family here. He is being targeted because he is a Palestinian activist and community leader and people are being asked to write to the federal government to protest this attempted deportation.

Focus on Zionism:

April 18th, 2006 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Israeli massacre at Qana, south Lebanon where 102 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed. Excerpts of an eyewitness report filed by Robert Fisk the day after the massacre were read.

Here is an audio file of this show: