With music by Omar Offendum, Sidi Mansour, and Egyptian hip hop group Arabian Knightz!

On January 25, 2012, tens of thousands of Egyptians flooded the streets of Egypt. Were they commemorating the revolution of 2011, or were they continuing to pressure Mohammed Hussein Tantawi and the military generals of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to hand over all of the powers of the Egyptian government to the citizens of the country?

DJ Ev Daddy and Matt Graber discussed the latest on the Egyptian revolution, and urged the people of Egypt to continue to pressure SCAF. Plus, we called out former president Jimmy Carter for his support of the generals in a January 12 New York Time's article. From the article:

"'Full civilian control' is a little excessive, I think," Mr. Carter said, after describing a meeting he had Tuesday with Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, leader of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, or SCAF. "I don't think the SCAF is going to turn over full responsibility to the civilian government. There are going to be some privileges of the military that would probably be protected."

Carter also lamented his role in the Camp David Accords:

But he also acknowledged that in retrospect the Egyptian revolution had cast a new light on the alliance he helped forge with Egypt's military-backed strongmen, first President Anwar el-Sadat and then his successor, Mr. Mubarak. Many Egyptians, he said, now complain that for three decades the United States supported a dictatorship at odds with its values to preserve peace with Israel.

"I think that is true, we were," [Carter] said. "And I can't say I wasn't doing that as well."

But  what has been the cost for Palestinians for the preservation of a dictatorship in Egypt complicit with Israel?

The show also featured news on the demolition of the Palestinian town of Anata last Sunday, January 22, 2012, from the Israeli Coalition Against Home Demolitions (ICAHD) and Mondoweiss.

From Jeff Halper of ICAHD on Facebook:

Its 11 at night here on a cold, rainy night in Palestine. I just got a phone call from Salim Shawamreh, a Palestinian comrade, that Israeli army bulldozers have arrived at his home and have begun demolishing it and the home of his neighbor as well. Salim's home, which has been demolished already four times because the Israeli authorities refuse to grant Palestinian building permits, is one of 26,000 homes that Israel has demolished in the Occupied Territories since 1967. I'm rushing out there, but it will probably be destroyed before I get there. There isn't much to do -- you feel so powerless in these circumstances -- but at least you now know. I'll stay in touch with you. The American-European supported Occupation goes on...

On October 28, 2011, Angela Davis delivered the keynote address of the Herbert Marcuse conference in West Philadelphia at the Irvine Auditorium. Davis has been a mover and shaper of social movements within the United States since the 1960's, and her critiques of American society are just as relevant today. She is the founder of Critical Resistance, an organization based in Oakland working to abolish in the prison-industrial complex. 

Davis offered her own wisdom and reflections for the Occupy movement. I recommend listening to the entire podcast, but here is an excerpt:

I was talking about the problem of language. How can we demonstrate awareness of the word - the term, 'Occupy', 'Occupation' - the damage that word has done historically.

Of course, Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Philadelphia, Occupy Oakland, there are all of these movements saying 'No!' to the colonial occupations of the Americas. And must say no, and express solidarity with native people who are still experiencing the consequences of that genocidal occupation. 

I recently returned from Palestine. Palestine is occupied territory. And settlers have further occupied occupied territory, and they are protected by young kids in the military carrying huge rifles strapped across their chests. And so the point that I am making is that the Occupy Movement can and must redefine the meaning of the very term they chose to designate themselves - by creating solidarity not only among themselves, but with communities suffering under the violence of military occupation.

In January of 2010, President Obama signed the Local Community Radio Act, which requires the government, specifically the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to grant new community radio station licenses to non-profit and other community organizations all across the country. As a result, 2012 will see the largest expansion of low power FM community radio in U.S. history, including availability for the first time in major cities.

The Local Community Radio Act is a radical departure from the status quo of media ownership in the United States. The bill prioritizes non-commercial radio programming, allowing for communities to broadcast local news, highlight independent music and arts, and provide diverse programming not heard on commercial radio. This comes as the media landscape is dominated by just a handful of corporations. Check out some existing community radio station profiles.

Community radio is a bridge to internet streaming, social networking, and media-making that connects new and old technologies to amplify voices of social justice. It's a powerful leadership development and organizing tool that has helped groups like the Coalition of Immokalee Workers win major victories for human rights.

When was the last time you heard 'Palestine' on the radio?

Since last October, Evan Hoffman and I have been broadcasting Radio Against Apartheid on West Philadelphia's community radio station, WPEB 88.1 FM. The broadcast reaches thousands of households in the West Philadelphia and Yeadon neighborhoods, and we're providing them with news and stories not heard elsewhere in the media. We have built our local coalition by collaborating with local organizations committed to social justice such as Scribe Video, and the other broadcasters and volunteers at WPEB 88.1 FM. We have had the pleasure of collaborating with artists, journalists, and activists seeking justice to create new media for the air. Just as an example, last week we featured author Ben Ehrenreich, who elaborated on the privileges the state of Israel grants his family for our audience:

"It is completely astounding to me that my father, who is Jewish but completely secular - probably hasn't been to synagogue in thirty years and who has never been to the state of Israel - but if he were to get onto a flight to Tel Aviv, he could declare upon arrival that he wanted to make Aliyah, and would quite quickly be ushered through the bureaucratic procedure and granted full Israeli citizenship. Just by virtue of his cultural heritage. And would thereby be given far more rights than the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have ancestries dating back for generations there - voting rights, rights in terms of being able to travel freely, to work, etc. Full citizenship rights that even Palestinians with Israeli citizenship don't enjoy."

Ehrenreich is one of the many courageous voices who have joined us on Radio Against Apartheid. In just those few months, we have brought on the air best-selling author Susan Abulhawa, Karina Goulordava of the Great Book Project, Taher Herzallah of the Irvine 11, Bareeq Barqawi of Playgrounds for Palestine, hip hop artist Omar Offendum, blogger Richard Silverstein, and many others. Radio production allows the possibility to combine media and create a piece of work to engage the public. We were both amateurs when we began, but we are learning quickly.

A Small Window of Opportunity

As early as August, the FCC will be accepting applications for community radio station licenses. The window to submit applications may be as short as one week. Building a radio station from scratch is no small endeavor, but the rewards are absolutely worth it. This is an opportunity to build your coalition and collaborate with like-minded social justice organizations in a collective effort to seize the airwaves. In areas where several groups apply for a single station the process may be very competitive. Therefore it is crucial to prepare the application and build a coalition well in advance. This is a historic chance to build long-term national communications infrastructure that's owned and operated by our movement.

Prometheus Radio Project and their allies, who were pivotal in advocating for the passage of the Local Community Radio Act, are committed to supporting social justice and community organizations throughout the application process. For those individuals and organizations who may be interested in taking advantage of this one-time opportunity, the Prometheus website has a trove of materials on the procedures and requirements.

Prometheus Radio will also be joining us at the University of Pennsylvania for the Penn BDS conference. They will be facilitating a workshop on Sunday, February 5 from 12 to 1:15, where they will come ready to answer any questions and provide guidance for any interested parties.

As blogs such as Mondoweiss, +972 Magazine, and the Electronic Intifada have spurred awareness and debate on Israel and Palestine, we envision radio expansion as the next step in building a broad coalition in the United States spanning many major cities. The possibilities for radio collaboration and coordination could be decisive in ending American support for criminal Israeli policies.

If you want to learn more about starting a station, please visit the Prometheus website, attend the workshop at the Penn BDS conference, or e-mail Jeff Rousset at JRousset@Prometheusradio.org.

On February 8, 2010, eleven students interrupted the speech by then-Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren. They are now know as the Irvine 11 after having been arrested and prosecuted for the protest.

Taher Herzallah of the Irvine 11 joined us on this week's Radio Against Apartheid. Taher spoke to us about the Irvine 11. He broke down their motivations for the protest, and spoke about what has happened since he was arrested.

For more information on the Irvine 11, you can go to their website. You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook. 

DJ Ev Daddy reported on Wednesday's attack on Gaza by Israeli forces, which killed Mohammad Abu Awda, aged 23, and Ahmad Za'aneen, 17. That report was from Common Dreams.

We spoke about the report, "False Flag", published by Mark Perry in Foreign Policy Magazine. The report revealed that "A series of CIA memos describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as American spies to recruit members of the terrorist organization Jundallah to fight their covert war against Iran."

Perry concludes the article by quoting an American intelligence officer as saying:

"This is stupid and dangerous. Israel is supposed to be working with us, not against us. If they want to shed blood, it would help if it was their blood and not ours. You know, they're supposed to be a strategic asset. Well, guess what? There are a lot of people now, important people, who just don't think that's true."

In the week following the report, there have already been schisms between Washington and Tel Aviv. Ha'aretz, a liberal Israeli daily, wrote a story on Tuesday that "Israel and America postpone massive defense drill in fear of escalation with Iran."

Also on the show, some fine tunes by Ziggy Marley, M.I.A., and Stevie Wonder.

Happy MLK Week everybody!

Your Honor,

I hold this speech out of belief in peace, justice, freedom, the right to live in dignity, and out of respect for free thought in the absence of Just Laws.

Every time I am called to appear before your courts, I become nervous and afraid. Eighteen years ago, my sister was killed by in a courtroom such as this, by a staff member. In my lifetime, I have been nine times imprisoned for an overall of almost 3 years, though I was never charged or convicted. During my imprisonment, I was paralyzed as a result of torture by your investigators. My wife was detained, my children were wounded, my land was stolen by settlers, and now my house is slated for demolition.

I was born at the same time as the Occupation and have been living under its inherent inhumanity, inequality, racism and lack of freedom ever since. Yet, despite all this, my belief in human values and the need for peace in this land have never been shaken. Suffering and oppression did not fill my heart with hatred for anyone, nor did they kindle feelings of revenge. To the contrary, they reinforced my belief in peace and national standing as an adequate response to the inhumanity of Occupation.

International law guarantees the right of occupied people to resist Occupation. In practicing my right, I have called for and organized peaceful popular demonstrations against the Occupation, settler attacks and the theft of more than half of the land of my village, Nabi Saleh, where the graves of my ancestors have lain since time immemorial.

I organized these peaceful demonstrations in order to defend our land and our people. I do not know if my actions violate your Occupation laws. As far as I am concerned, these laws do not apply to me and are devoid of meaning. Having been enacted by Occupation authorities, I reject them and cannot recognize their validity.

Despite claiming to be the only democracy in the Middle East you are trying me under military laws which lack any legitimacy; laws that are enacted by authorities that I have not elected and do not represent me. I am accused of organizing peaceful civil demonstrations that have no military aspects and are legal under international law.

We have the right to express our rejection of Occupation in all of its forms; to defend our freedom and dignity as a people and to seek justice and peace in our land in order to protect our children and secure their future.

The civil nature of our actions is the light that will overcome the darkness of the Occupation, bringing a dawn of freedom that will warm the cold wrists in chains, sweep despair from the soul and end decades of oppression.

These actions are what will expose the true face of the Occupation, where soldiers point their guns at a woman walking to her fields or at checkpoints; at a child who wants to drink from the sweet water of his ancestors' fabled spring; against an old man who wants to sit in the shade of an olive tree, once mother to him, now burnt by settlers.

We have exhausted all possible actions to stop attacks by settlers, who refuse to adhere to your courts' decisions, which time and again have confirmed that we are the owners of the land, ordering the removal of the fence erected by them.

Each time we tried to approach our land, implementing these decisions, we were attacked by settlers, who prevented us from reaching it as if it were their own.

Our demonstrations are in protest of injustice. We work hand in hand with Israeli and international activists who believe, like us, that had it not been for the Occupation, we could all live in peace on this land. I do not know which laws are upheld by generals who are inhibited by fear and insecurity, nor do I know their thoughts on the civil resistance of women, children and old men who carry hope and olive branches. But I know what justice and reason are. Land theft and tree-burning is unjust. Violent repression of our demonstrations and protests and your detention camps are not evidence of the illegality of our actions. It is unfair to be tryed under a law forced upon us. I know that I have rights and my actions are just.

The military prosecutor accuses me of inciting the protesters to throw stones at the soldiers. This is not true. What incites protesters to throw stones is the sound of bullets, the Occupation’s bulldozers as they destroy the land, the smell of teargas and the smoke coming from burnt houses. I did not incite anyone to throw stones, but I am not responsible for the security of your soldiers who invade my village and attack my people with all the weapons of death and the equipment of terror.

These demonstrations that I organize have had a positive influence over my beliefs; they allowed me to see people from the other side who believe in peace and share my struggle for freedom. Those freedom fighters have rid their conscious from the Occupation and put their hands in ours in peaceful demonstrations against our common enemy, the Occupation. They have become friends, sisters and brothers. We fight together for a better future for our children and theirs.

If released by the judge will I be convinced thereby that justice still prevails in your courts? Regardless of how just or unjust this ruling will be, and despite all your racist and inhumane practices and Occupation, we will continue to believe in peace, justice and human values. We will still raise our children to love; love the land and the people without discrimination of race, religion or ethnicity; embodying thus the message of the Messenger of Peace, Jesus Christ, who urged us to “love our enemy.” With love and justice, we make peace and build the future.

Via the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee

Hope everybody is happy and healthy!

For this week's show, DJ Ev Daddy and I interviewed Ben Ehrenreich. Ben is the author of two novels, "Ether" and "The Suitors", and he has published articles in Harper's Magazine, the London Review of Books, the Los Angeles Times, Alternet, and several other publications. Our discussion focused on two of Ben's articles, "Zionism is the Problem", an op-ed in the LA Times published in 2009; and "Drip, Jordan", his latest for the December issue of Harper's Magazine.

The conversation gave listeners an introduction to Zionism. Then we expanded on the popular Israeli notion of "making the desert bloom", and broke down the contradictions between Israel's agricultural practices and the arid climate of the Middle East; contradictions which leave Palestinians deprived of adequate water supply.

Ben brought wonderful insight based on his own background as well as his reporting from the West Bank:

"It is completely astounding to me that my father, who is Jewish but completely secular - probably hasn't been to synagogue in thirty years and who has never been to the state of Israel - but if he were to get onto a flight to Tel Aviv, he could declare upon arrival that he wanted to make Aliyah, and would quite quickly be ushered through the bureaucratic procedure and granted full Israeli citizenship. Just by virtue of his cultural heritage. And would thereby be given far more rights than the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have ancestries dating back for generations there - voting rights, rights in terms of being able to travel freely, to work, etc. Full citizenship rights that even Palestinians with Israeli citizenship don't enjoy."

The conversation then moved on to the popular struggle in the West Bank, where weekly protests occur in many different villages against land and water confiscations and the construction of the wall. We spoke about Nabi Saleh, but this is just one example of many villages rising up and resisting the Israeli occupation. More on this in our next post here at Radio Against Apartheid.

We finished the conversation by asking Ben what gave him hope.

This episode also featured the musical stylings of The Roots, Shadia Monsour, and Mos Def. and the following news stories:

"Western Oil Firms Remain as US Exits Iraq" on Al Jazeera English.

"Iran Accuses Israel, US of Assassinating Nuclear Scientist" from Common Dreams.

"Egypt's Military Rulers Clamp Down on Civil Society" on IPS News.

Love and light to all of you. 

Happy 2012 everybody!

We had such an amazing show this week, bringing some friends into the studio - Kareema Saab, Bareeq Barqawi, Wafai Dias, Rajai Dias, and Yafa Dias! We talked about Obama unfortunately signing the National Defense Authorization Act this weekend, featuring a clip from Democracy Now! , and the repercussions that NDAA will have on Occupy Wall Street! and democracy in the US. We read an open letter from the childen of Gaza about the 3 year anniversary of Operation Cast Lead, Israel's massacre in 2008:

We will never forget the hurt of 3 years ago, the criminal onslaught that we lived through, the blood of over 1400 murdered men, women, and hundreds of children running through the streets of Gaza, between the rubble, soaking our beds and etched on our minds. We will never forget.

We also featured the report, "Drip, Jordan" by Ben Ehrenreich in the December 2011 issue of Harper's Magazine, on Israel's systematic denial of Palestinians with equitable access to water. Ehrenreich met with Bassem Tamimi, one of the lead organizers of the weekly nonviolent protests who was targetted by Israel back when Ehrenreich met with him in early 2011, and who has been imprisoned since March. The connections to the murder of Mustafa Tamimi are obvious - Israel targets Palestinians who demonstrate nonviolently against land theft, imprisoning and murdering them.

Then we talked about all of the amazing work that these five women are doing with Playgrounds for Palestine, Penn BDS, Temple Students for Justice in Palestine, the Philadelphia Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Coalition and beyond.

Finally, we played some hot tunes, including some Palestinian dance tunes for you to rock the dabka to!

Raise the keffiyeh!