Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird was a smash hit a few weeks ago on the radio program of conservative US commentator Mark Levin, when he took his customary aggressive stand against Hamas and the Palestinians. The Harper/Baird position plays very well in the USA. Ironically, it seems to serve both the Obama administration and his right wing opponents. (more…)
For the second time in four years, people from across Canada met to discuss strategies for developing support for human rights for Palestinians. Following up on the first BDS conference held in Montreal in 2010, this meeting of nearly 200 activists, educators and concerned citizens took place in Ottawa as one “stream” of the massive People’s Social Forum. There was a feeling that another significant step had been made.
See my report below: (more…)
See my remarks to a demonstration, Sunday August 17th (more…)
I caught up with Samah Sabawi on August 1st, 26 days into the Israeli assault on Gaza. Samah is a Canadian Palestinian with family roots in Gaza. I wanted to ask her views on the current situation in Gaza and particularly on the role Hamas is playing. She is a playwright, a policy advisor to AlShabaka and is former public advocate for Australians for Palestine. She was for many years a media spokesperson for National Council for Canada Arab Relations (NCCAR) and moved in 2009 to Australia where her parents and many other members of her Palestinian family have found refuge.
My short interview with her follows.
When I do slide show presentations on Israel/Palestine to church or other groups I am often asked whether I support a one-state solution or a two state solution? Which is better? Which is feasible?
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Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 