Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Last week the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa submitted an Official Information Act request to the New Zealand Police to find out if any of our police have received training, either in Israel or New Zealand, from members of the Israeli military or police.
Our OIA request comes after revelations thousands of US police from numerous cities have been trained in Israel in policing and crowd control methods used against Palestinians. Israeli police are well known for the sheer brutality and racism which drives their policing and military responses to unarmed Palestinian protests.
Jewish Voices for Peace have documented this exchange in their report Deadly Exchange and describe “the dangerous consequences of American Law enforcement in Israel” and Amnesty International have highlighted the same problem.
US cities getting this Israeli training in brutality as the first line of defence include: Baltimore, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington state, DC Capitol police while thousands of others have received training from Israeli officials in the U.S.
Is New Zealand also receiving Israeli training in the most brutal law enforcement methods?
New Zealand police have a well-known history of racial bias in policing and we have seen determined moves over recent years towards general arming of police in New Zealand.
New Zealand Police have tried to “soften up” the public to accept generally armed police through policies to introduce tasers, carry weapons in squad cars, police being generally armed in Christchurch and elsewhere while the police searched for a wanted person and more recently have sprung a trial of “Armed Response Teams” on us.
We don’t want racism, violence or brutality to be the hallmark of policing in New Zealand based on the violence, racism and brutality which permeates the Israeli state.
John Minto
National Chair
PSNA
THE RELEVANT PART OF OUR OIA FROM LAST WEEK ASKS:
- In the last five years have any New Zealand police officers attended any training sessions in Israel, in New Zealand or any third country run by members of the Israeli Police Force, the Israeli Defence Force or any other Israeli government agency? If so please provide details of the dates, the location, the content, the duration and the number of New Zealand police involved.
- In the last five years has the New Zealand Police Force hosted visits by members of the Israeli Police Force, the Israeli Defence Force or any other Israeli government agency for conferences, training or any other engagements in New Zealand, Israel or any third country? If so please provide details of the dates, the location, the purpose of the visit and the number of personnel involved on either side.
- In the last five years have any members of the New Zealand Police Force been hosted in Israel by the Israeli Police Force, the Israeli Defence Force or any other Israeli government agency for any purpose? If so please provide details of the dates, the location, the purpose of the visit and the number of personnel involved on either side.
