PSNA is accusing the new government of double standards in its policy towards Israel/Gaza.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he is “heartbroken” at the scenes of civilian slaughter in Gaza while Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters says the death toll in Gaza is “horrific”.
These comments are meaningless without sheeting home the blame where it belongs – on Israel’s wholesale slaughter of Palestinians in its murderous rampage through Gaza. At least 15,523 Palestinians have been killed so far, including at least 6,600 children – the equivalent of all the students in 24 average sized New Zealand primary schools.
However the new government has not uttered a single word of criticism of Israel.
“We were deeply critical of the previous government’s silence on the brutal murder of Palestinian civilians while being quick to condemn the killing of Israeli civilians”, says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “The new government is no better”.
“This is the worst double standard – condemning the victims and excusing the perpetrators”.
“It shouldn’t be what Aotearoa offers to the world. New Zealanders are compassionate and fair by nature. We expect the new government to speak for all New Zealanders by condemning all political violence”.
“There is no room in a civilised world for double standards of any sort – such as upholding the rights of one group while denying the rights of another”.
“New Zealand’s “soft on Israel, hard on Palestinians” policy will only encourage Israel to try to drive Palestinians out of Gaza and into the Sinai desert over the Christmas/New Year period when the attention of the western world is elsewhere” says John Minto.
“Palestinians should expect New Zealand to have their back – we haven’t. In situations like this, silence is violence.”
The new government is making us all complicit in Israeli war crimes against Palestinians.
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
