Global Research

“But today, we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”  – U.S. President Donald Trump (December 6, 2017) [1]

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Click to download the audio (MP3 format)

On December 6, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump made the very controversial announcement that his administration was authorizing the moving of the US embassy to Jerusalem from its previous base in Tel Aviv. [2]

The announcement was the latest outrage generated by the divisive Head of State. Though welcomed by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian leaders interpreted the move as a declaration of American abandoning any pretense of playing an honest broker role in settling the Middle East conflict. Protests would erupt in the Gaza strip. The U.N. General Assembly voted on December 21st to condemn US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In spite of U.S. efforts to bully member nations into compliance with their position, the final vote was 128 nations in favour and nine votes against with 35 abstentions. [3][4][5]

The U.S. position contributed to the recent spate of violence along the Gaza border which saw Israeli Defense forces firing on unarmed protesters, leaving over 140 Palestinians dead. [6]

Recognizing that the Middle East Peace Process, and the U.S. role in that process may have undergone a fundamental re-visioning, organizers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada decided to stage a public discussion at the University of Winnipeg, entitled My Jerusalem: Responding to the U.S. Embassy Announcement. The aim was to examine some of the historical background of the Holy City, and its significance to representatives of the three major Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, which trace their spiritual lineage to this special place.

The discussion was held February 28th, 2018 at the U of W’s Eckhardt-Grammattee Hall. Sponsors included the Canadian Arab Association of Manitoba, Global College – University of Winnipeg, Independent Jewish Voices – Winnipeg, Mennonite Central Committee – Manitoba, Mennonite Church Manitoba Working Group on Palestine and Israel, Peace Alliance Winnipeg, United Church Conference of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, United Jewish Peoples Order – Winnipeg, and United Network for Justice & Peace in Palestine & Israel.

The evening featured a historical breakdown of the Jerusalem and its place in Palestine from pre-World War I to the present. Panelists Rabbi David Mivasair, Idris Elbakri, and Fadi Ennab spoke in turn. A Question and Answer engagement followed.

.

Video courtesy of Community video-grapher Paul S. Graham.

Esther Epp-Thiessen is the Public Engagement Coordinator for the Mennonite Central Committee Ottawa Advocacy Office. Esther is a longtime staffperson with Mennonite Central Committee, and has served with MCC in the Philippines and also in various parts of Canada. As the public engagement coordinator for MCC’s advocacy office she has helped to spearhead a campaign on Palestine and Israel called A Cry for Home. She is a trained historian and has written several books on themes in Mennonite history.

Rabbi David Mivasair is motivated by the Biblical command to “seek peace and pursue it” and lived in Jerusalem for four years. He is active with Independent Jewish Voices in Canada, sits on the Rabbinic council of Jewish voices for Peace in the US, and is Rabbi Emeritus of the Ahavat Olam Synagogue in Vancouver where he lives.

Idris Elbakri was born in the city of Jerusalem and spent his formative years there, he has lived in Winnipeg for nearly 13 years and been active in a number of community initiatives including grassroots efforts to welcome Syrian refugees.

Fadi Ennab is a lecturer and educator on migration and anti-oppression and is a Palestinian-Canadian from an Arab-Christian background born and raised in the Middle East.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Click to download the audio (MP3 format)

The Global Research News Hour airs every Friday at 1pm CT on CKUW 95.9FM in Winnipeg. The programme is also podcast at globalresearch.ca . Excerpts of the show have begun airing on Rabble Radio and appear as podcasts at rabble.ca.

Community Radio Stations carrying the Global Research News Hour:

CHLY 101.7fm in Nanaimo, B.C – Thursdays at 1pm PT

Boston College Radio WZBC 90.3FM NEWTONS  during the Truth and Justice Radio Programming slot -Sundays at 7am ET.

Port Perry Radio in Port Perry, Ontario –1  Thursdays at 1pm ET

Burnaby Radio Station CJSF out of Simon Fraser University. 90.1FM to most of Greater Vancouver, from Langley to Point Grey and from the North Shore to the US Border.

It is also available on 93.9 FM cable in the communities of SFU, Burnaby, New Westminister, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey and Delta, in British Columbia, Canada. – Tune in  at its new time – Wednesdays at 4pm PT.

Radio station CFUV 101.9FM based at the University of Victoria airs the Global Research News Hour every Sunday from 7 to 8am PT.

CORTES COMMUNITY RADIO CKTZ  89.5 out of Manson’s Landing, B.C airs the show Tuesday mornings at 10am Pacific time.

Cowichan Valley Community Radio CICV 98.7 FM serving the Cowichan Lake area of Vancouver Island, BC airs the program Thursdays at 6am pacific time.

Campus and community radio CFMH 107.3fm in  Saint John, N.B. airs the Global Research News Hour Fridays at 10am.

Caper Radio CJBU 107.3FM in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia airs the Global Research News Hour starting Wednesday Morning from 8:00 to 9:00am. Find more details at www.caperradio.ca

RIOT RADIO, the visual radio station based out of Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario has begun airing the Global Research News Hour on an occasional basis. Tune in at dcstudentsinc.ca/services/riot-radio/

Radio Fanshawe: Fanshawe’s 106.9 The X (CIXX-FM) out of London, Ontario airs the Global Research News Hour Sundays at 6am with an encore at 4pm.

Los Angeles, California based Thepowerofvoices.com airs the Global Research News Hour every Monday from 6-7pm Pacific time. 

Notes:

1. https://www.vox.com/2017/12/6/16742640/trump-jerusalem-israel-speech-full-text
2. https://www.dw.com/en/us-recognizes-jerusalem-as-israels-capital/a-41683294
3. ibid
4. ibid
5. Harriett Alexander (December 21, 2017), ‘Donald Trump’s decision on Jerusalem condemned by UN general assembly despite US ‘bullying’ over vote of censure’, The Telegraph; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/21/donald-trumps-decision-jerusalem-condemned-un-general-assembly/
6. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/gaza-protest-latest-updates-180406092506561.html