Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)
PSNA has congratulated Winston Peters for calling-in the Israeli ambassador, as the first step in New Zealand imposing meaningful sanctions on Israel.
The Foreign Minister has just posted;
“It’s about time he made this first step to show Israel it can’t continue to flout international law,” says PSNA National Spokesperson Rinad Tamimi.
“These breaches include violent assaults on heroic New Zealanders trying to get desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
“These heroic New Zealanders represent the very best of New Zealand values of care and compassion”
“Two of our kiwis, Mousa Taher and Julien Blondel, had already suffered brutality at the hands of the Israeli military, on an earlier flotilla boat last month. Mr Peters refused then to speak out then against the bashings Israel meted out on these brave New Zealanders.”
“This is the first time in more than 2 ½ years of genocidal attacks on Palestinians that Mr Peters has called in the Israeli ambassador”.
“Up ‘till now he’s done nothing. And it’s not though he’s not spoiled for recent choice.”
- Israel’s daily breaches of the so-called ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon
- Israel’s invasion and ethnic cleansing of vast areas of Lebanon – Israel now occupies more of Lebanon than Russia occupies of Ukraine
- Israel’s mass killing and starvation of civilians in Gaza and creeping re-occupation.
- A sharp increase in the pogroms by illegal Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities and theft of Palestinian land in the Occupied West Bank.
“We suspect Mr Peters has only called-in the Israeli ambassador on this occasion because that’s what the US and European countries have done,” says Tamimi.
“Our government’s foreign policy is determined by US/Israeli priorities.”
“Mr Peters is carefully pointing out in his posting that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has also criticised his cabinet colleague Itamar Ben Gvir for ‘his conduct relative to the flotilla”.
“Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is not the good-guy Mr Peters is trying to make him out to be.”
“But having made that first step, we want to see more of Peters speaking out, show more courage, more independence and more real action,” says Tamimi. “We want to be proud of New Zealand, not ashamed.”
Rinad Tamimi
National Spokesperson
PSNA