New Zealand urged to follow German lead and end military support for Israel
PSNA is urging the government to follow Germany’s lead and suspend New Zealand military support for Israel to continue its mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
Germany and New Zealand were two of the countries to sign a letter yesterday condemning Israel’s plans to extend its war to Gaza City, displacing another million Palestinians.
The letter states:
“The plans that the government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.”
“It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians.”
PSNA Co-Chair John Minto says Israel has a long history of ignoring outside opinion because they never include accountabilities.
“However, Germany has followed its condemnation with action. New Zealand needs to do the same.”
Minto says New Zealand should:
- End approval for Rakon to export crystal oscillators to the US which are used in guided bombs sent to Israel for bombing Gaza.
- Ban all Rocket Lab launches from Mahia which are used for Israel reconnaissance in Gaza
- Launch an investigation by the Inspector-General of Security and Intelligence into the sharing of intelligence with the US and Israel which can be used for targeting Palestinians
“New Zealanders expect our government to end its empty condemnations of Israel and act to sanction this rogue, genocidal state.”
John Minto
Co-Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Exactly. The traitors of the GCSB are helping the zionists target schoolchildren and doctors in Gaza.
Germany like apartheid Israel committed genocide has made significant financial reparations to the apartheid state and Jewish victims of the Holocaust as part of its efforts to atone for the atrocities committed during the Nazi regime. Here are the key aspects of these payments:
1. The Luxembourg Agreement (1952)
Reparations Agreement (Wiedergutmachung): In 1952, West Germany and Israel signed the Luxembourg Agreement, where Germany agreed to pay reparations for Holocaust crimes.
Total Amount: Germany pledged 3 billion Deutsche Marks (approx. $714 million at the time, equivalent to around $7 billion today) to Israel over 14 years.
Purpose: The funds were meant to support the resettlement of Holocaust survivors in Israel and compensate for stolen Jewish property.
2. Additional Compensation Programs
Individual Reparations: Beyond state-to-state payments, Germany established programs to compensate individual Holocaust survivors, including pensions and one-time payments.
Claims Conference (1951): The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) negotiated further compensation for victims, distributing billions in direct payments, home care, and welfare services.
3. Ongoing Payments & Recent Developments
Continued Support: Germany has extended compensation programs multiple times. As of recent years, payments continue to survivors (many elderly and in need of medical care).
2021 Agreement: Germany pledged an additional €1.2 billion for Holocaust survivors worldwide, including home care and COVID-19 relief.
Total Estimated Reparations: Since 1952, Germany has paid over $90 billion in reparations (to Israel and individual survivors).
4. Controversies & Criticisms
Some argue that no amount of money can truly compensate for the Holocaust’s horrors.
Early negotiations were contentious—Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, faced opposition from hardliners who rejected “blood money.”
Many survivors initially received very little, with bureaucratic hurdles delaying payments.
5. Impact on Israel
The reparations were crucial in Israel’s early economic development, funding infrastructure, industry, and immigrant absorption.
The agreement also marked a step toward normalized Germany-Israel relations receiving political, military support in this current Holocaust inflicted on the indigenous Palestinian.
Free Palestine