Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Details of our weekly solidarity protests around the country are listed at the end of this letter sent to the Prime Minister yesterday.
Prime Minister
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Kia ora Mr Luxon,
We write to you as a matter of utmost urgency, with a rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
The policy of appeasement towards Israel over the past year by western countries has failed miserably. Israel has expanded its attacks and has abandoned all pretence of any sort of negotiated settlements.
Our government is holding on desperately to a hopelessly weak and indefensible policy towards the Middle East. I have no doubt you know this.
Israel is running riot with endless bombing and killing as it spreads murder and mayhem. The majority of victims in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank are women and children – tens of thousands of children.
You and I know this would never be tolerated if the victims were European.
The situation has now become even more desperate and deadly with
- Israel has refused to allow any food or supplies to be delivered since the beginning of this month to northern Gaza. It has again unleased its firepower with absolute impunity on refugee camps and other civilian areas with the openly stated aim of ethnic cleansing of the majority of the 400,000 Palestinians who remain there.
- Israel’s delivery of its threat to turn Lebanon into another Gaza, with attacks throughout the country, including Christian areas.
- Israel’s endless attempts to widen the war across the region into Iran with repeated violations of its sovereignty until Iran responded – though without a single Israeli casualty.
- Israel’s blatant attacks on UNIFIL positions and demands that UNIFIL withdraw from its mission to allow Israeli military advances further into Lebanon to achieve regime change for a Lebanese government subservient to its interests.
Despite all that has happened over 12 months you have issued only platitudes “calling an all sides to exercise restraint” and condemnation of all parties Israel decides that is its enemies.
You have failed to condemn Israel for anything it has ever done against the Palestinian victims of its settler colonial project and yet you have condemned every act of Palestinian resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.
Other countries, the UK, France, Spain, Norway, and Ireland have spoken out and taken, albeit token, action to remind Israel that it is operating outside international law.
History will condemn your 12 months of complicit silence but action now can make a real difference and saves tens of thousands of innocent lives. A minimum list of actions includes:
- Condemn Israeli action against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank as war crimes
- Join South Africa’s case of proving genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice
- Implement the recent obligations specified by the ICJ under the Geneva Conventions towards ending Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
- Identify and ban imports of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
- End procurement of goods and services from companies identified by the United Nations as complicit in building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements
- Direct the Superfund, ACC and Kiwisaver providers to divest from companies on the UN list
- Investigate the export of Rakon Industry components which are incorporated into US weapons which almost inevitably end in the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
- Immediately close the Israeli embassy as Israel’s propaganda and lobby outlet in New Zealand
- Clearly and publicly state that NZDF personnel in the Middle East will neither participate in nor provide assistance to either US or Israel attacks or preparations for attacks on Iran
- Publicly join other countries in condemning the Israeli military attack on UNIFIL and demand of Israel that it will cease to demand UNIFIL withdraw from any of its positions in Lebanon
- Reiterate New Zealand’s participation in UNTSO and demand that Israel allow UNTSO continue its work unmolested
- Demand Israel revoke its declaration that the UN Secretary General is persona non grata in Israel.
- Note and support this UN report https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/un-commission-finds-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-israeli-attacks
Please respond to this letter urgently.
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.
Nationwide rallies/marches/MP protests/vigils this week
These are on the PSNA Facebook events page here with the basic details listed below.
North Island
Opononi – Gathering for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
1.30pm
Opononi (outside the Four Square)
Kerikeri – Rally
Saturday 19 October
No Rally this weekend
Whangarei – Rally
Saturday 19 October
No Rally this weekend
Auckland – Picket
Friday 18 October
12:00 noon
New World Devonport –
35 Bartley Terrace, Devonport,
Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Saturday 19 October
10:00 am
Text John on 021 899 659 for location
Auckland – Central Bike Ride for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
Meet at 12.45 to leave (ride to the rally) at 1.10pm
Western Park. Ponsonby Road
Auckland – Rally
Saturday 19 October
2:00 pm
Te Komititanga – Britomart Square, Tamaki Makaurau
Then travel to Browns Bay for the Prayer Vigil for Gaza
Auckland – Prayer Vigil @ Erica Stanford’s Office
Aotearoa Christians for peace in Palestine will hold a Prayer Vigil to mark a year since the Israeli airstrike on St Porphyrius Church in Gaza City
Saturday 19 October
4:00 pm
85 Beach Front Lane, Browns Bay, Auckland
https://www.facebook.com/events/s/vigil-for-gaza-st-porphyrius-c/1056552113142463/
Auckland – Movie – The Last Sky
Saturday 19 October
7:00 pm
Trades Hall auditorium – 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Limited seats. Tickets essential
Admission by Koha
https://events.humanitix.com/the-last-sky
Director Nicholas Hanna will have a Q&A after the movie
Thames – Vigil to Stop the war on Children
(Hosted by The Basket – Social and Environmental Justice – Hauraki)
First Saturday of the month
Tauranga – Flag wave
Sunday 20 October
11:00 am
SH2 Bethlehem – By Woolworths
Hamilton – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
1:00 pm
Civic Square, Hamilton
Whaingaroa/Raglan
To be advised
Cambridge – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall
Rotorua – Rally for Palestine
Every Thursday
4:00 pm
Rotorua Lakes Council, Haupapa Street (Sir Howard Morrison Corner)
Gisborne – Farmers Market – Vigil to Stop the war on Children
Every Saturday
9:30 – 11:30 am
Gisborne Farmers Market
Napier – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
1:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Friday 18 September
4:30 pm
Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth
New Plymouth – Rally and March
Saturday 19 October
1:00 PM
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
Whanganui – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
Carterton – Gathering for Gaza
Every Tuesday
12:00 midday
Memorial Square.
Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough
Masterton – Gathering for Gaza
Every Sunday
9:30 am
Town Hall Lawn, Masterton
Featherston – Gathering for Gaza
Every Saturday
11:00 am
The Squircle (opposite the op shop).
Wellington – Vigil for Palestine (by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine)
Every Friday
6:00 pm
In front of Wellington Hospital
49 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington
Wellington – Flags on the Bridge
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Every Friday
7:15 – 8:15 am
Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington
Wellington – Rally
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Saturday 19 October
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Meet at Glover Park and Hikoi down Cuba Mall and back to Glover Park
South Island
Nelson – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
10:30 am
Rocks Road by the beach
Blenheim – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Christchurch – Nobela Protest
Thursday 17
11:45 am
Foodstuffs Headquarters
167 Main North Road, Northcote, Christchurch
Christchurch- Flag Waving for Palestine
Friday 18 October
4:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Christchurch – Rally and March
Saturday 19 October
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Timaru
No Rally this weekend
Dunedin – Rally and March
Saturday 19 October
No Rally this weekend
Queenstown
No Rally this weekend
Invercargill – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
1:00 pm
Wachner place Invercargill.
