Canada’s chief diplomat in Israel has been honored at an Israeli public park — built on occupied Palestinian land in violation of international law — as one of the donors who helped establish the park on the ruins of three Palestinian villages. Jon Allen, Canada’s ambassador to Israel, is among several hundred Canadian Jews who have been commemorated at a dedication site. Jonathan Cook comments. Read more about Canadian diplomat honored on confiscated Palestinian land 

On 8 June the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz announced that French transport giant Veolia might abandon the light rail project that will connect Jerusalem with several illegal Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land. Reports also indicate that Veolia wants to pull out of the 30-year contract to operate the train. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Veolia reportedly drops light rail project, but campaign goes on 

FAQUA, occupied West Bank (IPS) - Faqua village has found itself unfortunately named. Faqua in Arabic means spring water bubbles; the village was named after the abundant natural underground springs that were once found all around it. Faqua’s problems started in 1948 with the establishment of Israel, when 24,000 of Faqua’s 36,000 dunams of land (a dunam is the equivalent of 1,000 square meters) and most of the underground springs were appropriated by the new Jewish state. Read more about Some unclean drops to drink 

There is a haunting, nightmarish strand running through the selection of poems by Palestinian author Ibrahim Nasrallah featured in the new volume Rain Inside. This is particularly evident in poems evoking an enigmatic “he,” oscillating undecidably between alter ego and a threatening Other, who may even be the poet’s “killer.” Raymond Deane reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Humane modernist: Ibrahim Nasrallah's "Rain Inside" 

“We don’t live in the territories, we cannot throw stones and we cannot participate in the legitimate resistance against occupation,” Haneen Zoabi, a Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) told Stu Harrison of Green Left Weekly. “We participate in the struggle so our own position as citizens. Our unique role is a political resistance and not, for example, an armed resistance.” Read more about Palestinian in Israeli parliament: "We resist politically" 

One of the most densely populated places on earth only has two cardiac surgeons to serve its entire population. According to Dr. Nasser Tatter, head of Shifa hospital’s cardiology unit, that only explains part of the medical crisis that exists in the Gaza Strip today. Eva Bartlett reports from the Gaza Strip. Read more about Gaza's hospitals short of surgeons and supplies