PSNA Newsletter No 129 - March 27 2024
27 Poutū-te-rangi
27 March 2024
Newsletter No 129
Kia ora koutou,
Stand with Palestine for land & liberation on land day Saturday 30 march
Land Day commemorates the Palestinian people’s steadfast resistance against the illegal and forced displacement and confiscation of their lands by apartheid Israel. Land day recognizes the sacrifice of those who have bravely stood up against the Israeli occupation with strikes, protests, and demonstrations.
Each year’s commemoration amplifies the call for justice, liberation, and the right of return for the Palestinian people. This year’s Land Day is especially urgent as the Israeli occupation’s violent and genocidal actions continue. Join the people of the world and rise up with Palestine!
Unite on the side of Liberation, Justice and Freedom!
National rallies, marches and vigils around the country this week
To view events around Aotearoa:
Go to the PSNA Homepage – www.PSNA.nz
Scroll down to the button “For a list of events Nationwide, please click here - Check back often for updates”
Click the button
Check back on Friday for any moves, adds or changes
North Island
Opononi – Gathering for Palestine
Sunday 31 March
5:00 pm
Outside the Four Square, Opononi
Kerikeri, Bay of Islands - Rally
Saturday 30 March
9:00 – 11:00 am
Kerikeri roundabout, State highway 10
Whangarei – Rally
Saturday 30 March
10:00 am
Whangārei Town Basin in front of Hundertwasser Building
Auckland – Picket
Friday 29 March
No Picket – Good Friday
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Saturday 30 March
10:00 am
Corner of Lincoln Road and Great North Road, Henderson
Text Steve on 021 256 511 For further details
Auckland – Rally and Silent March
Sunday 31 March
3:00 pm
Aotea Square
Tauranga – Rally
Sunday 31 March
11:00 am
Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
Hamilton - Rally
Saturday 30 March
1:00 pm
End of Wairere Drive and Naylor Street, Hillcrest, Hamilton
Rotorua – Flag Waving for Todd McClay
Thursday 29 March
4:00 pm
National MP Todd McClay’s Office - 1301 Amohau St, Rotorua
Napier - Rally
Saturday 30 March
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings - Rally
Sunday 31 March
2:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North - Rally
Sunday 31 March
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Friday 29 March
4:30 pm
Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth
New Plymouth – Rally
Saturday 30 March
1:00 pm
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
Whanganui - Rally
Saturday 30 March
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
Martinborough – Gathering for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough
South Island
Nelson – Rally
Saturday 30 March
10:30 am
1903 Square top of Trafalgar
Check out the Te Tau Ihu Palestine Solidarity Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/TeTIPalestine/
Blenheim
Saturday 30 March
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Christchurch – Rally
Saturday 30 March
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Dunedin - Rally
Saturday 30 March
2:00 pm
Otago Museum Reserve to the Octagon, Dunedin
Invercargill - Rally
Friday 29 March
5:30 pm
Wachner place Invercargill
An important BDS victory for Palestine in ECAN last week!
Canterbury’s regional council, Environment Canterbury, voted last week to amend its procurement polices for goods and services to exclude companies involved in building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
Greg Byrnes speaking in faviour of the motion - note the Free Palestine badge on Greg’s lapel!
After approaches from PSNA, ECAN Councillor Greg Byrnes took up the issue in a notice of motion earlier this year and councillors voted to get a staff report on the implications of the PSNA request.
The staff report came back with these recommendations which were put to last week’s meeting:
That the Council:
Notes that United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 states that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories of Palestine are illegal under international law.
Notes that there is a subsequent list of organisations trading with the illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank of the Palestinian Territories.
Notes that Environment Canterbury does not currently trade with any organisations included on the United Nations’ list.
Notes that the advice received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to United Nations Security Council resolution 2334 is included as an appendix to this paper.
Approves the modification of Environment Canterbury’s Procurement Policy to include a commitment to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2334, with any exception being approved by the Chief Executive.
Warm congratulations to the large majority of ECAN councillors who voted in favour of the resolutions which have now been adopted as ECAN policy.
The Press report of the meeting is here.
This represents the first, albeit small but significant, sanction ever put in place against Israel by a New Zealand local body. Well done PSNA Ōtautahi for raising this issue and warm congratulations to Greg Byrnes and the big majority of councillors who voted for the motion.
PSNA now needs to take this issue to all local bodies around the country – as well as with central government.
A few things you can do now with just a few clicks.
Take part in your local event above for Palestine Land Day this weekend and help spread the word on social media
If you missed it last week, sign the petition to ban Israel from International Sports here
Email warm congratulations to Environment Canterbury councillors who voted for the motion to exclude from their procurement policy companies identified by the United Nations Human Rights Council as complicit with flagrant breaches of international law.
Councillor.Pauling@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Byrnes@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Cranwell@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Davies@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Dietsche@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Korako@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Robinson@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Southworth@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Sunckell@ecan.govt.nz
Councillor.Swiggs@ecan.govt.nz
Kia ora Peter, koutou ko Craig, ko Greg, ko Iaean, ko Joe, ko Paul, ko Grant, ko Nuk, ko Claire, ko Genevieve, ko Vicky, ko John, ko Deon, ko Nick,
Warm congratulations to you all for voting in favour of last week’s motion to exclude from ECAN procurement policy companies identified by the United Nations Human Rights Council as complicit with flagrant breaches of international law by supporting the building and maintenance of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
It’s a small but significant step and the first “sanction” by a local body to hold Israel to account.
Thank you all for standing up for Palestinians and standing up for international law.
Ngā mihi.
<your name>
<your city>
AVAAZ emergency action appeal arrived today
The situation in Gaza is a stain on humanity. Avaaz has sent out this international appeal today – please help by taking the four small steps in the links below.
After boxing 1.4 million Palestinians into Rafah, Netanyahu has approved plans to invade the city.
This invasion could be the worst thing Israel does since the start of their brutal attack on Gaza. We cannot let it happen. Israel’s military relies primarily on US support. Biden could stop the invasion by ending arms transfers to Israel. Demand he acts now, before it’s too late
The world is holding its breath as Israel prepares for a massive ground invasion in Rafah, the last refuge in Gaza where over a million civilians have gathered. Thousands more innocent children could die, caught in the crossfire with no escape. Right now, Israel’s Minister of Defense is in DC to request more weapons ahead of the attack on Rafah. Sign this urgent plea for peace -- calling President Biden to halt arms to Israel before it's too late
Dear President Biden,
You can stop Israel from invading Rafah and starving over a million civilians to death.
America is Israel’s biggest arms dealer. You are giving American weapons to a government that is blocking life-saving aid and violating international law. This will only stop when you demand it stops.
As people from across the world, we call on you to stop fueling death and suffering in Gaza.
No more arms to Israel!
The United Nations Security Council just passed a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan. For the last five months the US has vetoed these calls over and over. Finally, Biden’s resistance is crumbling thanks to public pressure in the US and around the world. But Israel has no intention to honor the ceasefire unless the US makes them. This is a crucial moment for us to double down pressure on the Biden administration.
As you read this, Israel’s key defense officials are in DC pushing the US for more ammunition and weapons. President Biden has agreed to 100 such transfers in the last 6 months. The US government must not be sending arms to governments that violate international law -- like Israel is doing by blocking food and aid, and not honoring the ceasefire resolution.
Join this massive plea for peace and for an end to US arms to Israel -- Avaaz will ensure our message goes directly to the Biden administration
Suspend apartheid Israel from International Sports
To FIFA, FIBA, International Olympics Committee, and all other global and European sports governing bodies.
We urgently demand:
An immediate suspension of Israel from participation in all international sports until it fully complies with international law and sports regulations
For global and European sports governing bodies to immediately uphold their statutory obligations – especially their own rules on human rights and non-discrimination given Russian, South African and other precedents. This would include, inter alia, a ban on Israel competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and UEFA’s EURO.
Sign the petition here
BDS for Aotearoa! Target the big Six!
REMEMBER the importance of targeting these consumer products – make a special effort to take this up with your local supermarket this week.
Let’s Focus on Obela Hommus again this week:
Obela is 50% owned by Israel’s largest food company, Strauss Group, which is known for its support of the Israeli military, namely the elite Golani and Givati infantry brigades, whom they fund and provide care packages for.
Foodstuffs outlets (New World, Pak ‘n Save, Four Square)
Foodstuffs have a complaint process, for their customers, which they take seriously.
This is your opportunity to let Foodstuffs know your feelings about Obela products.
We encourage supporters to write a complaint on a complaint form available at the stores – eg complain about the products’ links to Israel and the genocidal policies of the Israeli regime. It will mean also writing to Foodstuffs to get the product removed as well – pressure from both ends on the company.
Go into your local Countdown, PaknSave, New World, 4Square and Fresh Choice Supermarkets.
Confirm if they stock the Obela brand of products in their chilled department. Product range includes hummus and dips.
If they do, go to the Information desk and request to lodge an official customer complaint with the checkout or duty manager.
Complete the customer complaint form, either in print, or online, requesting the Obela products be removed for sale from the store due to its parent companies, Strauss and Sabra, being directly involved in the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Request the complaint be escalated to the supermarket's head office.
This is an example of the kind of complain form that is used.
AHAVA products:
(“Dead Sea Mineral Skin Care Products”) Ahava manufactures its cosmetics in a factory in the illegal Mitzpe Shalem settlement in the occupied West Bank. However, AHAVA labels its skin care products imported into the EU as originating from "The Dead Sea, Israel." AHAVA uses Palestinian natural resources without the permission of or compensation to the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Israel denies Palestinians access to the shores of the Dead Sea and its resources, although one-third of the western shore of the Dead Sea lies in the occupied West Bank.
SodaStream:
Soda Steam is actively complicit in Israel's policy of displacing the indigenous Bedouin-Palestinian citizens of Israel in the Naqab (Negev). SodaStream have a long history of mistreatment of and discrimination against Palestinian workers.
HP (Hewlett-Packard):
HP-branded corporations provide and operate technology that Israel uses to maintain its system of apartheid, occupation and settler colonialism over the Palestinian people.
Aside from providing services and technology to the Israeli army and police that maintain Israel’s illegal occupation and siege of Gaza, HP provides Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority with the exclusive itanium servers for its Aviv System. This system enables the government to control and enforce its system of racial segregation and apartheid against Palestinian citizens of Israel and is directly involved in Israel’s settler colonialism through its “Yesha database”, which compiles information on Israeli citizens in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.
BP and Caltex:
Both brands are involved in extracting petroleum products from the Eastern Mediterranean, within Palestine’s maritime boundary, for Israel’s benefit at the expense of Palestinians. Stealing from the occupied people of Palestine is a breach of international law.
McDonald’s:
McDonald’s franchises in Israel have been openly supporting the Israeli Defence Force’s genocide in Gaza with free meals for Israeli soldiers. McDonald’s International have been happy for their brand to be associated with the slaughter of Palestinians. Active boycotts of McDonald’s in different countries have already hit their sales and some franchises in the Islamic world are now flying the Palestinian flag to distance themselves from the Israeli franchise. This adds to the pressure on McDonald’s to close its Israeli restaurants.
Discounts on this great book by Israeli historian Ilan Pappe
Something you can do now with just a few clicks…
Watch out for this man promoting racism and apartheid
Here he is – the Israeli ambassador – watch out for him around Aotearoa New Zealand – if you hear of any planned appearances or speaking engagements please contact us urgently: Email apartheid-Israel@PSNA.nz or text 027 4 APARTHEID or 027427278.
Israeli ambassador Ran Yaakoby
Important stories from the Web
We will update this section when time allows – In the meantime here are the stories from last week.
Editor’s picks
What’s the real purpose of Biden’s Gaza port? here
No room to breathe at Ramadan here
Palestine: Unity of land, people and struggle here
‘Please Help Us’ – Palestine Chronicle Speaks to Two Palestinians Inside Besieged Al-Shifa Hospital here
‘No International Pressure Will Stop Us’ – Netanyahu Vows to Press Ahead with Gaza War here
‘Armchair humanitarianism’: The problem with Gaza’s maritime aid corridor here
Israeli settlers vandalise UNRWA's Jerusalem headquarters, threaten staff here
UNICEF warns that malnutrition-related death of 23 children in Gaza just 'tip of iceberg' here
Law for Palestine Releases Database with 500+ Instances of Israeli Incitement to Genocide – Continuously Updated here
Israel’s war on Gaza never ended here
Weak from hunger here
Released captive tells how Israeli fire killed kibbutz resident here
Essential viewing
Reminder: Dates for Palestine Solidarity during the year
Israel apartheid week has been added to the dates for likely local and national Palestine solidarity activity this year.
28 Mar – 4 Apr Israel Apartheid Week
30 Mar Land Day Palestine
5 Apr Palestinian Childs Day
9 Apr Deir Yassin massacre - Irgun Terrorism - 107-120 Palestinian men, women and children massacred
17 Apr Palestinian Prisoners Day
11 May World Kufiya Day
15 May Nakba Day – marking the mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Palestine in 1948
5 Jun Nakba Day - Start of 1967 War - Land Grab – Invasion of Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Egypt and Syria - 5 June 1967 – 10 June 1967
20 Jun Attack on Gaza - 6–21 May 2021 (2 weeks and 1 day)
16-18 Sep 40th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacres
28 Sep Second Intifada - 28 Sept 2000 – 8 Feb 2005
2 Nov Balfour Declaration
29 Nov United Nations - International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
8 Dec First Intifada - 8 Dec 1987 – 13 Sept 1993
Are you able to donate a cup of coffee a month to the campaign?
We will need some serious money to make our campaign as effective as possible. For example, we will need somewhere in the vicinity of $25,000 to bring speakers to New Zealand over the next year and organise large public meetings to help spread the message.
You can help. Are you able to donate a cup of coffee a month to the campaign? In other words, can you afford to make an automatic payment of $5 per month to support the Palestinian struggle? (If you can afford more that would be great!)
Our account details are:
Account name: Palestine Solidarity Network
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-00
We are happy to provide a receipt upon request (however, we are not a registered charity so this is not tax-deductible)
In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter – an invitation to subscribe from Leslie Bravery
Because of mainstream news media complicity, daily headlines and commentary only occasionally ever mention the relentless Israeli violence in Palestine, not even the frequent air strikes!
However, daily news and statistics regarding the violence Palestinians are forced to live under are regularly reported on in the “In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter”, sourced and compiled for easy reading and correlation chiefly from the Palestinian Monitoring Group's daily situation reports.
The In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter continues to be circulated, by email, worldwide to subscribers only, as it has been over the last two decades.
Please contact lesliebravery@icloud.com if you also wish to become a subscriber.
Merchandise for sale
We have Merchandise you can buy including T-shirts from our website.
Go here - https://www.psna.nz/shop
More ways you can get involved
Forward this Newsletter – If you know people who may be interested in this movement, please forward this Newsletter to them.
Join in local activities in your area monthly Rallies - In Auckland at 2.00 pm on the first Saturday of every month. Please consider doing the same in your community. Contact Secretary@PSNA.nz if you would like to know where and how to get Flags and Banners
Help set up a Students for Justice in Palestine groups on your campus
Tell Your MP your opinions on Divestment and Sanctions of Israel.
Write Letters to Newspapers – Call Talkback Radio
Keep in touch with the campaign on social media
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network website: https://www.PSNA.nz
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/671376706283605/
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network email: Secretary@PSNA.nz
The Palestine Human Rights Campaign produces the In Occupied Palestine newsletter. It is a regular daily newsletter on the daily situation in Palestine, compiled by Leslie Bravery and emailed to subscribers. If you would also like to become a subscriber, please contact Leslie at “lesliebravery @ icloud .com” (remove the spaces to use as an email address) for further information.
Keep Updated on our Facebook pages and websites (listed below)
Human rights for Uyghur refugees - In line with our support for human rights for the people of Palestine we have added our name to the petition in support of human rights for Uyghur refugees so they can be included in the government’s refugee quota. PSNA members who wish to also sign this petition can do so here - https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/open-letter-let-s-show-compassion-to-the-uyghur-community
PSNA Groups
PSNA National Committee
Website: www.PSNA.nz
Chair - John Minto: Chair@PSNA.nz
Secretary - Neil Scott: Secretary@PSNA.nz
Regional Groups
Bay of Islands PSN Bay of Islands (Email)
Whangarei PSN Whangarei (Facebook)
Auckland PSN Auckland – Tamaki Makaurau (Website)
Hamilton Palestine Human Rights Campaign Waikato (Facebook)
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 4 Palestine (Facebook)
Napier/Hastings Aotearoa Standing with Palestine (Facebook)
Palmerston North PSN Palmerston North (Email)
New Plymouth PSN Taranaki (Facebook)
Wellington PSN Wellington (Email)
Nelson Te Tau Ihu (Nelson) Palestine (Facebook)
Christchurch PSN Christchurch (Facebook)
Dunedin Dunedin for Justice in Palestine (Facebook)
Invercargill PSNA Invercargill (Email)