Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)
PSNA says the shift of the Israeli embassy into the Fisher Funds building in Wellington has concerned other tenants in the office high rise.
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is citing the Wellington Post front-page article which reported only some occupants of the 13-storey site had been told that Israel was moving in.
PSNA spokesperson Rinad Tamimi says the building’s owner was obviously trying to keep the arrival of the embassy a secret until it was too late to object.
“It’s pretty obvious why. The Fisher Funds building is owned by Prime Property Group, which is controlled by rich-lister and former Israeli Defence Force major, Eyal Aharoni.”
“He’s looking after his own.”
Tamimi says the solution to the embassy location concern was the New Zealand government could expel the ambassador and his staff.
“We broke off diplomatic relations when it was discovered Israel’s Mossad spy agency had been getting fake New Zealand passports. So, there is a precedent.”
“It all comes down to the fact that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. It’s the world’s worst atrocity of this century and shamefully its ongoing perpetrators are flying their flag over our capital city,” Tamimi says.
“At this very moment, Israel is firing on the Sumud Flotilla trying to bring aid to Gaza and kidnapping and assaulting New Zealand citizens on that convoy.”
“Our ministers are shaking hands with the people who represent this illegal violence in international waters.”
Tamimi says though Fisher Funds does not own the building it operates out of, it must have powers as the holder of naming rights.
“If Fisher Funds’ CEO was to represent its KiwiSaver stakeholder interests, then he would tell Aharoni to find somewhere else for the Israelis to go to.”
“But since the CEO is an ex-minister of the National Party – Simon Power – then the head of Fisher Fund appears to part of the problem and not the solution.”
Rinad Tamimi
National Spokesperson
PSNA