Aotearoa New Zealand’s government and media must own up to their part in the cold-blooded killing of Shireen Abu Akleh
The absolute impunity which the Aotearoa New Zealand government has given to Israel’s racist apartheid regime over many decades and the cowering of the Aotearoa New Zealand media in the face of threats of false smears of anti-semitism from the racist pro-Israel lobby are the key factors in the daily murder and mayhem conducted by Israeli troops in Palestine.
The latest killing is of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh which was described yesterday by Al Jazeera and eyewitnesses as an “assassination in cold-blood”.
This veteran journalist has been the “voice of the voiceless” as she has fearlessly reported on Israel’s military occupation of Palestine over many decades.
Her fearlessness is in sharp contrast to Aotearoa New Zealand media reporting on Israel/Palestine which includes multiple, repeated inaccuracies which reinforce Israel’s “justifications” for its brutality. Most New Zealanders do not even know Israel runs a military occupation over the entire area of historic Palestine.
With rare exceptions our media simply provide a safe portal for Israeli propaganda.
Meanwhile our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if they say anything at all about Israel’s occupation or unbridled brutality are much more likely to criticise Palestinians than they are to criticise Israel. If they spoke out about the Russian invasion of Ukraine like they do the situation in the Middle East they would be blaming Ukrainians for “provocations against Russian troops” and ask Ukrainians to exercise “maximum restraint” in the face of Russian brutality.
It’s hypocrisy on a grand scale.
We call out human rights abuses to a US agenda. We condemn Russia and China but look the other way with Israeli or Indonesian brutality.
None of this has changed under the current minister Nanaia Mahuta who been silent for over 18 months on the Palestinian struggle.
Silence is never an option when it comes to human rights. It is the position of cowards.
Until Israel is called out for its racist apartheid policies and the consequences which flow from that, it will continue to murder with impunity.
We have yet again asked the minister to speak out and demand an independent investigation and accountability for Shireen Abu Akleh’s assassination.
Yeah the local media could, with its vast resources and international connections and standing, prevent any government in the world doing anything wrong by holding them to account … Na. They can barely do that locally …
You might want more media focus on this issue, and that might have some impact on popular opinion (to the extent people were activated) and even the government’s position in terms of criticism of Israeli actions.
“Most New Zealanders do not even know Israel runs a military occupation over the entire area of historic Palestine”.
Well historic Palestine includes the territory awarded for a Jewish majority state and also Gaza which is not under military occupation. And it was the rockets fired out of Gaza that killed off the disengagement policy (withdrawal from West Bank areas without a peace settlement) – a deliberate act of sabotage by Hamas or a reduced occupation of the West Bank.
You will never have a nation, zionist.
Exactly John. Nanaia Mahuta is happy to attack the decolonization of Hong Kong, but the brutal occupation of Palestine, the murders of thousands of innocents, the desecration of Christian and Muslim holy sites?
These neoliberal rats couldn’t care less.
The desecration of Christian and Muslim holy sites would have been reported and governments would have condemned that if it had happened.
Israeli Apartheid?
Check it out here – https://lettersforpalestine.weebly.com/apartheid-israel.html
‘Aotearoa New Zealand’s government and media must own up to their part in the cold-blooded killing of Shireen Abu Akleh’ We didn’t even stand up to Saudi Arabia for the killing of Khashoggi someone very rich and powerful got away with murder and we didn’t even blink sic!
I know!
The Nats could steal a march on the Govt. And declare that israel does practise apartheid and, when they become govt they will actively support BDS
For all their faults the Nats stepped forward to sponsor the UN resolution 2334 against Israeli settlementsl when Egypt, giving in to US pressure backed out.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/wellington-surprised-israel-by-sponsoring-anti-settlement-un-resolution-482555
Today governments all around the world, including the US and the UK, normal supporters of Israel, have issued public statements condemning the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/11/world-reacts-al-jazeera-journalist-shireen-abu-akleh-killed-by-israeli-forces
Unlike the rest of the world the New Zealand government has maintained a silence resembling complicity.
Unlike the rest of the world our government and Foreign Affairs Minister have kept their mouths firmly shut. With not a single word of condolence for the victim, or condemnation of the killers.
‘Aotearoa New Zealand’s government and media must own up to their part in the cold-blooded killing of Shireen Abu Akleh’ We didn’t even stand up to Saudi Arabia for the killing of Khashoggi someone very rich and powerful got away with murder and we didn’t even blink sic!
‘Aotearoa New Zealand’s government and media must own up to their part in the cold-blooded killing of Shireen Abu Akleh’ We didn’t even stand up to Saudi Arabia for the killing of Khashoggi someone very rich and powerful got away with murder and we didn’t even blink sic!
Perhaps because the Government for once is going to wait to see the evidence?
“The Palestinian Authority said it would not let Israeli officials examine the bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh. Israel said that is the only way to determine who fired it.”
See https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/world/middleeast/journalist-killed-palestine-israel-bullet.html
Why would the Palestinians not allow examination? Who benefits from this killing? Not Israel; but rather Qatar and Al-Jazeera. There’s a reason why the other Arab states boycotted and isolated Qatar.
The evidence has been in for ages ,,,, NZ governments allow Israel to kill and maim with impunity year in and year out ,,, ” in 187 of the 189 killings that took place in 2018, protesters did not pose an imminent threat to life and Israel used “neither necessary nor proportional” force.”
Shireen Abu Akleh’s blood is on the hands of Israel’s “friends” https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/shireen-abu-aklehs-blood-hands-israels-friends
“As a UN Commission of Inquiry put it, Israeli forces shot at “unarmed protesters, children and disabled persons, and at health workers and journalists performing their duties, knowing who they are.”[40]The commissioners concluded that, while demonstrations were “at times violent,” in 187 of the 189 killings that took place in 2018, protesters did not pose an imminent threat to life and Israel used “neither necessary nor proportional” force..
Israeli Forces Attacked Mourners During Shireen Abu Akleh’s Funeral Procession https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUEmF0qxhjI
… and just to spread their war criminal ways around ,,, “On May 11, an unprecedented Israeli attack targeted a network of observation posts and positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the southern Syrian governorate of al-Quneitra. ” ,, ‘the targeted positions were all located within or along the Stolen Golan Heights’ 235 square kilometer buffer zone, which was established under the 1974 separation of forces agreement.’
Sean if it was done on purpose what does examining the bullet do? I doubt it’s going to a have little yamacha on it. The Israel’s are not going to use ‘standard issue’ weapons for such a hit. How does Israel not benefit from someone who regularly covers aggression against Palestinians, no longer being there?