Source: Green Party
We are writing to you on behalf of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.
As a party committed to the Global Greens charter, we are deeply concerned about the sale of arms to Israel by the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands and Bündnis90/Die Grünen government. Israel’s war on Gaza has contributed to unprecedented environmental and humanitarian devastation.
While The UN is still investigating the environmental impacts of the war, they have noted a “catastrophic spike in land, soil and water pollution,” and an Independent Commission of Inquiry established by the UN Human Rights Council has concluded that in relation to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Israel has committed “war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws.” The loss of Indigenous knowledge, which often embodies sustainable environmental practices, is being further exacerbated due to the violence Israel has committed against Palestinian land. As members of the Global Greens, it is our responsibility to integrate ecological wisdom into our responses to this humanitarian crisis, to ensure that environmental restoration as well as the preservation of cultural heritage are prioritised alongside humanitarian aid.
Currently in opposition, the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand have called on our National Party-led coalition government to:
- Demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire and a return of all hostages
- Expel the Israeli ambassador from Aotearoa
- Recognise the state of Palestine
- Stop being complicit in war crimes in their tacit support of the United States of America and Israel
In light of this we would like to remind Bündnis90/Die Grünen of three principles from the Global Greens Charter:
- Ecological Wisdom. We acknowledge that human beings are part of the natural world and we respect the specific values of all forms of life, including non-human species. We acknowledge the wisdom of the indigenous peoples of the world, as custodians of the land and its resources. We acknowledge that human society depends on the ecological resources of the planet, and must ensure the integrity of ecosystems and preserve biodiversity and the resilience of life supporting systems.
- Social Justice: We assert that the key to social justice is the equitable distribution of social and natural resources, both locally and globally, to meet basic human needs unconditionally, and to ensure that all citizens have full opportunities for personal and social development. We declare that there is no social justice without environmental justice, and no environmental justice without social justice.
- Nonviolence: We declare our commitment to nonviolence and strive for a culture of peace and cooperation between states, inside societies and between individuals, as the basis of global security. We believe that security should not rest mainly on military strength but on cooperation, sound economic and social development, environmental safety, and respect for human rights.
We would appreciate a response to help us understand how Bündnis90/Die Grünen justifies the sale of arms to Israel in light of these charter principles.
We look forward to your reply.
Kind regards,
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand Kaunihera (Council):
Marama Davidson & Chlöe Swarbrick (Party Co-leaders)
Alyssce Te Huna and Sam Ferguson (Party Co-convenors)
Alika Wells and Vicky Edwards (Policy Co-convenors)
Miriam Ross (General Manager)
Charlotte Huckson and Wiremu Winitana (Te Rōpū Pounamu Kaiwhakahaere)
With solidarity and support from the following Asia Pacific Greens Federation member states:
Councillor Andrew Kutpae, on behalf of Papua New Guinea Greens
Councillor Chulseong Lee, on behalf of Green Party Korea
Councillor Suresh Nautiyal, on behalf of India Greens
Councillor Erum Saleem, on behalf of Pakistan Green Party
Councillor Keiko Ogata, on behalf of Greens Japan
