Winston Peters urged to condemn Israeli plans to annex vast tracts of Palestinian land

ByJohn Minto

 

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has written to Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters today urging that New Zealand condemn the Israeli Prime Minister’s planned annexation of vast tracts of the occupied West Bank of Palestine.

This is theft on a grand scale. It is a reckless incitement to violence. It is reprehensible.

Such an annexation of illegal Israeli settlements would be a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. It would constitute a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

It is a travesty of what New Zealand stands for internationally.

Netanyahu made the announcement in his role as Prime Minister of Israel. He has broadcast to the world his intention to commit a war crime. New Zealand must respond.

We have told the foreign minister that the usual patsy diplomatic language of “disproportionate response” or “unhelpful to creating peace in the region” would be wholly inadequate.

Action NOW from New Zealand must include concrete steps such as:

  • Condemning the proposed annexation of vast areas of Palestinian land
  • Cancellation of the proposed importation of $9 million of Israeli military equipment
  • Suspension of the signing of the so-called “innovation agreement” with the Israeli government
  • Expelling the Israeli ambassador

For the past three years New Zealand has taken no significant action to protest Israeli theft of Palestinian land, attacks on unarmed Palestinian civilians or the murder of Palestinian children. Our silence has encouraged the Israeli government to continue its plunder of Palestine.

Silence now is not an option.

We must send an unambiguous signal to the Israeli government that New Zealand finds the proposed annexation abhorrent.

 

John Minto

National Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

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6 Comments

  1. I agree silence is not an option. All members of the coalition Labour NZF and the Greens should speak up and openly reject this.

  2. Hey is Winston Peters still alive? Can Ron Mark see beyond his so-called SAS wings? Pleading for common sense from Winston is like expecting pigs to fly. We NZ’ers need to see justice being done, rather than continuing to see Israeli murder squads operating in an attempt to look tough to the ultra right wing Trump loving Israeli mob that the Iraeli dictatorship is depending on to get them re-elected. Murder and theft is normal behaviour or Israel and its crony supporters of which NZ First is one…

  3. Absolutely on point. Very strange that Labour is happy to suck up to racists and support them by buying equipment tested on the victims of their racism.

  4. IMHO to not speak out against this humanitarian issue, is to take the side of the oppressor, Israel!

    BTW where is Winston Peters? He’s been missing in action now for about a month after having surgery for an old rugby injury. Taking some time to heal!

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