Democracy Now! April 21, 2003

9:00-9:01 Billboard 9:01-9:10 Headlines 9:10-9:11 One Minute Music Break 9:11-9:30: An Israeli soldier shot and killed an Associated Press cameraman in the West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday. 45 year old Nazeh Darwazeh was filming a skirmish Israeli troops firing on rock-throwing Palestinians. Then, an Israeli soldier pointed his gun at the journalists and fired. Darwazeh was shot in the head. He and the other cameramen covering the melee wore brightly colored vests that said Press in bold letters. The IDF has killed seven journalists - six Palestinians and one Italian - in the past two years in the territories. Darwazeh had lived in Nablus all his life and had worked for AP for two years. He is survived by a wife, Raeda, and by five children ranging in age from 6 months to 9 years. Demonstrations protesting the IDF's shooting were held in Ramallah and Bethlehem yesterday. Haaretz reported the demonstrators covered their mouths with black cloth, symbolizing the "gagging" of the media. Haaretz went on to report: Video films from the time of shooting show an IDF soldier kneeling by a tank and shooting. Witnesses say the shot hit Dawarzeh's camera and head. Dawarzeh was not standing between the soldiers and the Palestinians, they said. Films from Reuters, Nablus Television and Dawarzeh's own camera -- document the soldier shooting and Dawarzeh being hit, but it is not clear whether the soldier was aiming toward the journalists. The Foreign Press Association in Israel called for a comprehensive investigation into Dawarzeh's shooting. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights yesterday accused the IDF of stepping up the attacks on the media, "in an attempt to gag it and prevent public debate on the acts of the Israeli army." The Israeli military had no immediate comment but said it was looking into the shooting. Meanwhile in Gaza, five Palestinians and an Israeli combat photographer were killed in an early morning tank and helicopter raid on the densely populated Rafah refugee camp. This came during one of Israeli s largest attacks on Gaza since the second intifada began 30 months ago. We are joined now by Abed Qusini a Reuters photographer who was standing next to Nazeh Darwazeh when he was shot. * Abed Qusini, Reuters photographer in Nablus who was standing next to Nazeh Darwazeh when he was shot. 9:20-9:21 One Minute Music Break 9:21-9:30 Palestine cont d 9:30-9:40: The New York Times reported on Saturday the Bush administration is planning to ask the United Nations to lift the sanctions against Iraq in phases. The UN would maintain its supervision of Iraqi oil sales for now. This comes after Russia, France and other Security Council members made it clear they will not support the lifting of sanctions unless the UN is given a central role in the rebuilding of Iraq. The Times also reported some Bush administration officials fear a messy situation in which the US or US-occupied Iraq could be sued for selling oil in defiance of UN measures and in violation of international law. This appears to be the first evidence that the Bush administration had been considering selling Iraq s oil illegally, before the sanctions are lifted. * Dennis Halliday, former UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq and former Assistant Secretary-General. Phone: 212-288-5895 9:40-9:41 One Minute Music Break 9:41-9:58: This week is Passover. During the 8-day holiday Jews around the world remember their liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. Traditionally, on the first two nights of Passover, Jewish families hold dinners, or Seders. where friends and family gather to reflect and tell stories. Years ago, I went to an unusual Seder in New York City. It was a tradition begun in 1976 by Gloria Steinem and Jewish feminist writers Esther Broner and Phyllis Chesler. The unique Passover dinner celebrated women and liberation. And even 12 years ago, these women were voicing their opposition to the Israeli occupation. Esther Broner officiates. She wrote, The Telling and The Women's Haggadah. Sounds of a Feminist Seder, including feminist writers Esther Broner, Naomi Wolf, Phyllis Chesler, Robin and Letty Pogrebin. 9:58-9:59 Outro and Credits Democracy Now! is produced by Kris Abrams, Mike Burke, Angie Karran, Ana Nogueira and Elizabeth Press. Mike Di Filippo is our music maestro and engineer.