Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)
The absence of a New Zealand government signature on a 22-member joint statement, which is condemning the E1 Israeli settlement in the Occupied West Bank, can only be interpreted as a ‘moral collapse’ in our foreign policy, according to the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.
The recent joint statement was issued by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Commission.
The statement condemned the decision by the Israeli Higher Planning Committee to approve plans for settlement construction in the E1 area, East of Jerusalem, as ‘unacceptable and a violation of international law’.
The E1 settlement would divide the Occupied West Bank into two regions – northern and southern.
PSNA spokesperson, Rinad Tamimi says the New Zealand’s government’s absence from the statement is even worse, in the context of the statement specifically citing UN Security Council Resolution 2334, describing the settlements as a “flagrant breach of international law.”
“The Key/English National Party government co-sponsored this resolution at the UN Security Council in 2016. But the Luxon National Party, even after the genocide in Gaza in the past three years, can’t even bother to put its name to this recent condemnation,” Tamimi says.
“In the nuanced world of world of international diplomacy, Israel will be taking favourable note of New Zealand’s slide into not caring what atrocities Israel is committing.”
“Without taking any other action, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has always made of point of saying he often ‘made his concerns known’ to Israel. Now he’s even given up on that.”
Tamimi is also concerned that none of New Zealand’s political parties have specific policies to support Palestine in their election manifestos.
Tamimi says Israel’s genocide in Gaza is the worst atrocity of the 21st century.
“While there is meant to be a functioning ceasefire, the latest news from Gaza is that Israel has reoccupied more than 70 percent of Gaza, Israeli forces have resumed their assault because children in Gaza were flying kites. And on the Occupied West Bank Israeli settlers are openly beating up foreign network journalists with impunity.”
New Zealand has practical and significant symbolic leverage against Israel which it deliberately has decided not to use.”
“As you would expect, all three coalition parties, pretend there is no such thing as foreign policy.”
“Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori have expressed support for Palestine, including imposing sanctions.”
“But they need to clearly state what type and level of sanctions. Even the present government can say its immigration bans on West Bank terrorist settlers constitutes a sanction.”
“It all amounts to just election rhetoric, without announcing specific and meaningful sanctions in all areas; trade, investment, diplomatic, military and immigration,” Tamimi says.
“Without sanctions, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and the Greater Israel project, are all still licenced for Israel to action.”
Rinad Tamimi
National Spokesperson
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa