While the world is speaking out in condemnation of Israeli plans to annex vast swathes of Palestinian land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories the New Zealand government’s silence is deafening.
It’s embarrassing.
To the best of our knowledge the current government has NEVER spoken out against the racist policies or brutality of Israel, even in 2018 when Israeli snipers were killing unarmed Palestinian protesters, many of them children, through the Israeli blockade fence around Gaza.
It seems the Prime Minister is happy to contract out foreign policy to New Zealand First and then wash her hands while the murder and mayhem of Israel’s daily cruelty towards Palestinians continues unchallenged.
The previous National-led government had a much more principled policy and co-sponsored United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 which condemned Israel’s flagrant violations of international law.
New Zealand has moved from being part of the solution – pressure on Israel – to being part of the problem itself – international silence which means complicity with Israel’s criminal behaviour.
PSNA wrote to the Prime Minister again yesterday on this – that letter follows.
John Minto
National Chair PSNA
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
10 June 2020
Jacinda Ardern
Prime Minister
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Kia ora Ms Ardern,
New Zealand government silence on annexation is an embarrassment to decent New Zealanders
Following the letter we sent to you on 26 May, to which we have not received a reply, events have begun to move quickly and there is mounting pressure on Israel from around the world to abandon its plans for the annexation of Palestinian land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
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- The Palestinian Authority has withdrawn from all co-operation agreements with Israel and says Israel alone is responsible, as the occupying power under international law, for the safety and security of Palestinians.
- Jordan’s King Abdullah II has said that with the proposed annexation Israel is on a course for “massive conflict” with his country.
- Similar warnings have come from the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
- Jewish voices have also been raised against annexation with many prominent Jews in the United Kingdom saying annexation would “inflame tensions locally and cause regional destabilisation”
- Jewish Voices for Peace in the US and Alternative Jewish Voices in New Zealand are two of many other Jewish groups speaking out against annexation.
- In Israel itself a large march of Jewish and Palestinian citizens protested together in the centre of Tel Aviv last weekend with former US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders beaming in to say “The plans to annex any parts of the West Bank must be stopped. The occupation must be ended and we must work together for a future of equality and dignity for all people in Israel and Palestine. The only future is a shared future,”
The New Zealand government’s public silence is an embarrassment.
The previous National-led government spoke out firmly and publicly against Israeli breaches of international law – for example through co-sponsoring United Nations Security Council resolution 2334 in December 2016 which said Israel’s settlement building on occupied Palestinian land constituted a “flagrant violation” of international law and had “no legal validity”. It demanded Israel stop such activity and fulfil its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
In contrast your government’s silence is deafening.
Your silence will be welcomed by the Israeli leadership as it prepares to thumb its nose at international law but will be condemned by those who seek peace based on justice in the Middle East.
Silence is not an option. The time to speak out is now when pressure from New Zealand can have its greatest effect in concert with the international community. Making a whimper of protest after the deed is done would be a tragedy for New Zealand’s integrity and international standing. It would be a failure of moral leadership.
Please respond urgently.
Nā,
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Your are right especially
“New Zealand has moved from being part of the solution – pressure on Israel – to being part of the problem itself – international silence which means complicity with Israel’s criminal behaviour.’
Even Neoliberal Aunty Helen managed to tell Israel off when they stole our NZ passports, (now immigration just give NZ passports away for free to all, like our water… )
However not sure why, the lefties now seem ti think it’s all NZ Firsts fault?
Are the lefties ok with Labour and Greens too lazy to stand up and join the woke in NZ First bashing?
Weird that Labour are the new messiah for the lefties, Greens incompetent and NZ First which is led by one of the most long standing Maori politicians of NZ, who also has managed to do things his own way, is blamed for everything going wrong with COL’s policies?
SaveNZ
Peters is the Minister of Foreign Affairs; condemning Isreali actions, and recognising the plight of Palastinians, would be part of his job. Yet, he has remained silent – even on the rare occasion that MFAT spokespeople say anything:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/jacinda-ardern-condemns-devastating-one-sided-loss-of-life-in-jerusalem.html
Labour and the Greens, both pretty dam useless do not hold the foreign affairs portfolio. Do you understand that. This is what Minto’s column is about!
Did you notice what happened to Jeremy Corbyn? Jacinda and Winston are both probably trying to aviod going the same way.
Though there is undoubtably protest and criticism world wide of Israel’s occupation and annexation of Palestine it is not government policy anywhere that I have seen. Everyone in power is too anxious to avoid US sanctions.
D J S
It’s fairly commonplace in Europe, even the UK Tories – who supported our 2016 action.
John our environmental group Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre (CEAC writes a letter to Jacinda every week for two years now.
And has not ever had one personal reply from her, or her staff, so although we respect your morality; – here yet again we don’t truly believe that jacinda is actually getting ours or yours letters .
As it appears that someone in their office is screening her from any exposure to our letters and issues;
So good luck to you old friend; we recall that you once lived in our town of Napier around the time of the ‘South African ruby tour’ in 1981 then as we were on the opposite sides during that issue.
But keep it up, as citizens voices are needed.
He lived in Auckland from 1977. His family home in Napier.
Labour and the Greens should never have agreed to give NZ First the portfolios of Foreign Affairs and Defence.
If only, before the election, there could be open discussions about NZ’s role in the world…including the Palestinian cause.
So what is going on.
Is the COL govt so wary of the local and internationals Zionist lobbyists for Israel threatening NZ if moves are made to oppose the outrageous land theft, that they back away.
The “antisemitic” label was used with massive MSM backup to depose Jeremy Corban who is more Jewish than most in Israel. The power of MSM is a Zionist weapon and MSM across the Western world is controlled by Zionists using fear, intimidation and misinformation.
When did we last hear a news bulletin on RNZ about Israeli murder of Palestinians, Israeli violence towards Palestinian farmers and families, stealing of land for more illegal settlements or even UN passing censure on Israel’s illegal actions.
Or is it that NZ First have shown their colours with becoming mates with Israel. Both Peters and Mark have grovelled to the Israeli PM and IDF. Money is not a barrier when it comes to Israel buying favours and both Winston and Ron love the stuff as would filling NZF coffers with laundered money go a long way to influencing NZF.
Also Mossad have the best dirt digging network in the world and may well be holding NZF and the govt members to ransom.
No matter whether it is any or all of the above or something more devious, NZ is being held to ransom.
The elections may need to be got out of the way before Labour can deal with this but you can bet your boots that negotiations, threats and promises are already being heard behind closed doors on Israeli / Palestinian matters, NZ elections, personal dirt files and US interference, at a NZ govt level as well as personal “meetings and briefings” with Israeli pimps and our parliamentary members and some of their staff.
Israel is not a clean player and the history of corruption and power play with Zionist interests is well planned, well resources, international, underground as well as blatantly inhuman.
Israeli narcissism and psychopathy has reached new heights and at a level of blatancy not seen since WWII.
NZ should not back away and be a part of the problem.
Israeli sentiments held by any foreign affairs staff need to be weeded out. It is not in NZ’s interests to have moles shaping our foreign relations from within or close to the public service.
Israel is a rogue state not an ally nor friend.
We back america that is what it is about we daren’t do otherwise. When the US no longer needs Israel to keep the hordes at bay it will be a different story.
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