Palestine solidarity protests grow in number as the solidarity movement demands action from our government

31 events across 26 centres across the country this week continue to challenge the government’s weak, “look busy” approach to the eight-month genocide of Palestinians by the settler-colonial state of apartheid Israel.

Links to the events are below. In many cases Palestine solidarity protests are being run in conjunction with environmental activists protesting the fast-track bill.

76 years of massacres, ethnic cleansing, casualised and normalised brutality against the Palestinian people has led to our government excusing the colonial oppressor of Israel while condemning the victims of that oppression, the Palestinians. The government prefers to stand with a racist apartheid state rather than its victims.

Just a few of the things our government should be doing to hold Israel to account are:

• Condemn Israel’s indiscriminate killing of Palestinians (The government has condemned the killing of Israeli civilians but while criticising Israel’s actions in Rafah, has refused to condemn the industrial-scale slaughter of Palestinians)
• Call for an immediate permanent ceasefire (The government refuses to do so because the Israel doesn’t want this)
• At least double and immediately send our annual aid allocation to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) The government has kept funding the same as last year despite the desperate need – UNRWA is by far the most effective and best placed organisation to deliver humanitarian aid but the government is sending additional aid to other organisations)
• Join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel to the International Court of Justice
• Sanction Israel and expel the Israeli ambassador – several decades overdue
• Suspend Rakon’s export of crystal oscillators to US arms manufacturers and investigate if these are ending up in the Gaza genocide
• Withdraw NZ troops from the US-led bombing campaign against Yemen (Yemen has tried to stop the genocide by attacking Israeli-linked ships carrying arms and weapons to Israel)
• Grant humanitarian visas to the Gaza-based family members of Palestinian kiwis (the government did this when Russia invaded Ukraine but the same support is being withheld from Palestinians)
• Implement a ban on imports from companies building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land (UNSC 2334 – co-sponsored at the UNSC by New Zealand under a National government) 

John Minto

National Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

Events around the country this week:

Basic details of the events this week are below – for more information go to the PSNA events page here

North Island
Opononi – Gathering for Palestine
Sunday June 9
1:30 pm
Outside the Four Square, Opononi

Kerikeri
First Saturday of the month

Whangarei – Sign a petition to council
Saturday 8
8:00 – 9:00 am
Stall opposite the Growers Market

Auckland Picket
Friday 31 May
12:00 noon
TBD

Waiheke Island – Auckland
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island

Auckland –Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Saturday 8 June
10:00 – 12:00 noon
Symonds Street Bridge over SH1 and SH16

Auckland – Rally
Sunday 9 June
2:00 pm
Te Komititanga – Britomart Square

Tauranga – Flag Waving
Sunday 9 June
11:00 am -12:00 noon
SH2 @ Bethlehem – in front of Woolworths Rd side

Hamilton – Rally
Saturday 8 June
1:00 pm
Civic Square, Hamilton

Cambridge Rally
Saturday June 8
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall

Rotorua – Rally
Thursday 30 May
4:00 pm
Rotorua Lakes Council, Haupapa Street (Sir Howard Morrison Corner)

Napier – Rally
Saturday 8 June
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout

Hastings – Rally
Sunday 9 June
2:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD

Palmerston North – Rally
Sunday June 9
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North

New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Friday 7 May
4:30 pm
Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth

New Plymouth – Rally
Saturday 8 June
1:00 pm
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth

Whanganui – Rally
Saturday 8 June
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui

Carterton
Every Tuesday
12:00 midday
Memorial Square.

Martinborough – Gathering for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough

Masterton
Every Sunday
9:30 am
Town Hall Lawn

Featherston
Every Saturday
11:00 am
The Squircle (opposite the op shop).

Wellington – Flags
Every Friday
7:15 – 8:15 am
Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington

Wellington – Rally
Saturday 8 June
1:00 pm
Next to Diving Platform by Te Papa

Wellington – National Rally for Palestine
Organised by the Palestinian community
Thursday 27 June
Civic Park
Mark it in your calendars and consider a Hikoi to Wellington
Watch this space

South Island
Nelson – Rally
Saturday 8 June
10:30 am
1903 Square, Upper Trafalgar Street, Nelson

Blenheim
Saturday 8 June
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station

Christchurch – Rally
Saturday 8 June
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street

Timaru – Market Stall
Saturday 8
9:00 am
Timaru Market, George Street Timaru

Dunedin – Rally
Saturday 8 June
2:00 pm
Otago Museum Reserve to the Octagon, Dunedin

Queenstown
No Rally this weekend

Invercargill – Rally
Sunday 9 June
1:00 pm
Wachner place Invercargill