• Listen to this segment with Garick Ruiz and Taher Herzallah

• Listen to the entire program with Sonali Kolhatkar

The United Nations is describing the destruction from Israel’s war on Gaza, code named Operation Protective Edge, as “unprecedented.” While negotiations continue between Israel and Hamas in Egypt during a three day temporary cease fire, tens of thousands of Gazans have been returning to their homes only to find piles of rubble. The body count stands at over 1,900 Palestinians, 80 percent of whom are civilians, a third of them children. In Israel the loss numbers at 64 soldiers and 3 civilians.

While Hamas is seeking an end to the decade long Israeli blockade of Gaza and Israel is hoping for a complete disarmament of Hamas, activists around the world are also seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Pro-Palestinian activists are participating in Boycott Divestment and Sanctions or BDS movement to boycott Israeli products and divest from Israeli companies.

The quickly growing BDS Movement has drawn support from a wide variety of groups including the Presbyterian Church. Just this month, billionaire George Soros extracted his full 550,000 share investment in Sodastream, a company whose main plant is situated in an illegal Israeli West Bank settlement. A smartphone app called Buycott has also been helping consumers in their efforts to avoid Israeli products.

Meanwhile here in California, activists are planning actions this week in solidarity with the Palestinian Trade Union Movement at the ports of Long Beach and Oakland. Protesters not only hope to block the Israeli-owned Zim shipping company from unloading its goods, they also hope to gain the support of U.S. longshoremen and dockworkers in their fight for Palestinian human rights.

GUESTS: Garrick Ruiz, long-time LA Based activist with BDS-LA for Justice in Palestine, Taher Herzallah, with American Muslims for Palestine

Details of two actions in California:

Wednesday August 13, 2014 at 7 am at the Port of Long Beach – Information and Leafletting Event

Meet at the corner of Pier A Way and Pier A Plaza, 700 Pier A Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90813
(Street Parking available a few blocks North near the intersection of Henry Ford Ave. and Anaheim St.: Walk south on Henry Ford Ave. and make a left onto Pier A Way just after you cross the bridge). For more information: BDSINLA@gmail.com

Saturday August 16, 2014 at 5 am at the Port of Oakland – Blockade of the Israeli Zim Ship

Meet at the West Oakland BART Station, 451 7th Street, Oakland, California 94607 and march to Berth 57. Click here to find out more: https://www.facebook.com/events/1447374682195857/