PSNA has condemned the New Zealand government’s decision to deploy a “liaison officer” to Israel to work with the US and Israel to implement the Trump ‘peace’ plan for Gaza.
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-chair Maher Nazzal says it is ominous that the liaison officer will be based inside a US military office.
“Instead, we should be working with the United Nations in the region. Trump plans to perpetuate the Israeli occupation under a fig-leaf of it being multinational. That is what we are supporting.”
“This is more of the same complicity with the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza.
For two years, our Foreign Minister has joined New Zealand at the hip to a country whose Prime Minister is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
‘There have been no sanctions on Israel, but we frequently impose new sanctions on Russia and Iran.”
“It’s a knee-jerk reaction for New Zealand to send in the troops to the Middle East to back Israel and the US,” Nazzal says.
“The NZDF was there in Iraq and Afghanistan. The government sent the army up to the Red Sea to fight with the Americans early last year to keep Israeli sea lanes open.”
Nazzal says the government should focus on aid, ensuring Palestinians’ rights and representation, and fact-finding.
“There should be a cross-party Parliamentary fact-finding mission assembled urgently, which could get into Gaza safely before Israel ramps up its murderous assault again.”