January 27, 2013

Israel went to the polls on January 23rd. Hosts Marissa Brostoff and Kiera Feldman talk with journalist Max Blumenthal, who covered the elections for The Nation and argues the results were a victory for Israel's pro-settler right.

Israel plans to build 3000 new settlement homes in the E1 corridor, which would connect Jerusalem to the settlement of Maale Adumim, splitting the West Bank in half. In response, Palestinians erected a tent encampment on the site of the planned settler homes--private Palestinian land. They called it Bab al-Shams ("Gate of the Sun"). We speak with Palestinian activist Abir Kopty. 

Mohammed Fairouz has garnered international attention for his melding of middle eastern modes with western musical structures. BBC news has called him “one of the most talented composers of his generation." Fairouz joins us in-studio.