Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand
Tēnā koutou katoa,
Palestine Forum of New Zealand stands alongside Mataara Mai and all those who have raised deep concern about the planned gathering at Te Kuirau Marae involving representatives of the Israeli Embassy Board and the so-called Indigenous Coalition for Israel.
Te Kuirau Marae has a proud history of standing with oppressed peoples, including the Palestinian community. It was a place where solidarity was expressed openly and with dignity:
• during the Rotorua for Palestine hīkoi in November 2023, opened by the late Koro Bom Gillies,
• and again during the Mataara Mai gathering in January 2024.
These moments were grounded in aroha, justice, and shared struggle against colonisation.
Welcoming representatives who openly support and justify violence, displacement, and ongoing atrocities against the Indigenous people of Palestine stands in direct contradiction to the values that marae uphold: aroha, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, justice, and Indigenous sovereignty.
Such a decision risks:
• diminishing the mana of the marae,
• undermining community wellbeing,
• damaging relationships between Indigenous peoples globally,
• and affecting how future generations will understand the moral choices made today.
Any engagement of this nature must be transparent, accountable, and grounded in truth. It cannot proceed without open kōrero with the communities who will be most affected.
Palestine Forum of New Zealand affirms its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and with all Indigenous peoples resisting colonisation. We acknowledge those who have spoken up with courage and clarity in defence of justice.
Let truth, aroha, and the shared struggle for liberation guide us forward.
Palestine Forum of New Zealand
