Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s comments about the ongoing slaughter of civilians in Gaza has upstaged this afternoon’s Parliamentary motion on Israel/Gaza.
The parliamentary motion moved by the government was a damp squib – too little too late.
It’s an “Israeli-centric” motion because it doesn’t identify the reasons behind the violence – Israel’s dehumanising, apartheid policies towards Palestinians.
The most important statement of the day came from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, before the parliamentary motion was put, when he said:
“None of us wants to see the atrocities that we’re observing on our TVs each and every night…”
Mr Luxon is reflecting the mood of the country much better than Mr Peter’s perfunctory offering to parliament.
Mr Luxon recognises “atrocities” taking place in Gaza today which involve the wholesale slaughter of Palestinian civilians for which Israel is responsible.
The next step is to put accountabilities in place for Israeli policies just as New Zealand did in the case of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and South Africa’s apartheid policies.
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
