PSNA Newsletter No 130 - April 3 2024
3 Paenga-whāwhā 2024
3 April 2024
Newsletter No 130
Kia ora koutou,
Two weeks ago Foreign Minister Winston Peters told a public meeting that when it comes to Palestine “we (the government) have done our best”.
It seems that what the minister really means is that the government has gone as far as it can without offending the US or Israel. This appears to be the government’s highest foreign affairs priority despite Israel’s unrestrained, deliberate mass killing of Palestinian civilians.
At every point the government has failed to meet even the most basic of human rights duties under international law.
Failure to condemn Israel’s slaughter and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians
Failure to condemn Israel’s stifling of food and humanitarian supplies to Palestinians in Gaza
Failure to call for an immediate permanent ceasefire in Gaza
Failure to reinstate funding for UNRWA and bring forward a doubling of our contribution to meet the desperate need in Gaza
Failure to stop bombing Yemen
Failure to join South Africa’s case of genocide against Israel at the ICJ
Failure to shut down the Israeli embassy in Wellington
Failure to grant emergency humanitarian visas to Palestinians in Gaza who have family in Aotearoa
The list goes on.
The killing of foreign aid workers for example this week brought the response from Mr Peters.
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 7 April
5:00 pm
Outside the Four Square, Opononi
Kerikeri, Bay of Islands - Rally
Saturday 6 April
9:00 – 11:00 am
Kerikeri roundabout, State highway 10
Whangarei – Rally
Saturday 6 April
10:00 am
Whangārei Town Basin in front of Hundertwasser Building
Auckland – Climate, Ti Tiriti and Palestine
Friday 5 April
3:30 pm – Meet at Dove Meyer Robinson Park – Parnell Rose Garden
Then Rubbish collection on way to Albert Park
5:00 pm Rally at Albert Park
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Saturday 6 April
10:00 am
Hobsonville Road motorway overbridge over Highway 16 at Westgate
Text Steve on 021 256 511 For further details
Auckland – Rally
Sunday 7 April
2:00 pm
Aotea Square
Tauranga – Hikoi / BDS Protest for Palestine
Saturday 6 April
10:00 am
Assemble Greerton public library
Chadwick Street, Tauranga
Tauranga – Rally
Sunday 7 April
11:00 am
Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
Hamilton – Funeral March for the victims of Genocide
Thursday 4 April
4:00 pm
Tongue of the Dog, Waikato Museum, Hamilton
Hamilton - Rally
Saturday 6 April
1:00 pm
Garden Place, Hamilton
Rotorua – Free Palestine Rally
Thursday 4 April
5:30 pm
Assemble in Te Manawa, Rotorua
Napier - Rally
Saturday 6 April
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings - Rally
Sunday 7 April
2:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North - Rally
Sunday 7 April
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Climate, Ti Tiriti and Palestine
Friday 5 April
12:30 pm
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
https://www.facebook.com/events/781088960016826
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Friday 5 April
4:30 pm
Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth
New Plymouth – Rally
Saturday 6 April
1:00 pm
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
Whanganui - Rally
Saturday 6 April
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
Carterton
Every Tuesday
12:00 midday
Memorial Square.
Martinborough – Gathering for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough
Featherston
Every Saturday
11:00 am
The Squircle (opposite the op shop).
Wellington – Rally hosted by Justice for Palestine
Sunday 7 April
11:00 am
Meet at Civic Square, March to Parliament at 11.30am
South Island
Nelson – Aotearoa is Rising (Joint Rally)
Friday 5
2:00 pm
Trafalgar Center, Paru Paru Road, Nelson
Check out the Te Tau Ihu Palestine Solidarity Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/TeTIPalestine/
Nelson – Rally
Check out the Te Tau Ihu Palestine Solidarity Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/TeTIPalestine/
Blenheim
Saturday 6 April
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Christchurch – Rally
Saturday 6 April
1:00 pm
New Location - Corner of Deans Road and Riccarton Road, Christchurch
Dunedin - Rally
Saturday 6 April
2:00 pm
Otago Museum Reserve to the Octagon, Dunedin
Invercargill - Rally
Friday 5 April
5:30 pm
Wachner place Invercargill
Something you can do now with just a few clicks…
1. Take part in your local event above for Palestine this weekend and help spread the word on social media
2. Sign the Palestinian petition here to ban Israel from the Paris Olympics and share the petition on social media.
3. Copy and paste this letter to our PM and Foreign Minister and copy in your local MP. To find the email address of your local MP go here.
Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister
Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Winston.Peters@parliament.govt.nz
Kia ora kōrua,
Israel’s deliberate targeting of aid workers in Gaza
The government’s response to the killing of international aid workers this week was pathetic.
There is no condemnation of Israel or the Israeli Defence Force, no condemnation of the previous killings of hundreds of Palestinian aid workers in recent weeks or the previous indiscriminate killing of hundreds of Palestinians waiting for desperately needed aid deliveries, no condemnation of the deliberate stifling of aid deliveries by Israel which have created a “man-made famine” in Gaza being deliberately engineered for Israel’s plans to ethnically cleanse Gaza.
Pious nonsense such as requests for Israel to conduct a “thorough review” of the killing of international aid workers are an attempt by your government to do the least it thinks it can get away with. No principle, no human rights focus, no moral compass and no accountability for the apartheid state of Israel.
You are not speaking on behalf of New Zealand – you are speaking on behalf of Israel and its ally in the genocide of Palestinians – the US.
An urgent response please.
(your name)
Calling new activists in the Palestine Solidarity movement! Invite to a one-day training course!
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is working to strengthen the movement and ensure it’s longevity by bringing more younger people into the network.
We are organising a one-day training course for rangatahi who are already part of the movement across Aotearoa and would like the opportunity to connect with other rangatahi across the motu. The purpose of the one-day training is an introductory course on community-based organising for those interested in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.
PSNA could support your, or motivated rangatahi, attendance. If you are interested in joining the one day training on Saturday 13th April 2024 from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm, then please email PSNA Secretary Neil Scott on Secretary@PSNA.nz
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza ready to go – your support needed!
The next Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza. Kia Ora Gaza will have a medical team on board. Please donate to this mission to break Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza with our international solidarity flotilla.
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
Rebuilding the Gaza Centre for Human Rights
Damage to the Gaza Centre of Human Rights Office after an Israeli air attack in 2021
PSNA has been a long-time supporter of the Gaza Centre for Human Rights. The Centre is making an appeal for funds to rebuild at the earliest opportunity. New Zealander Julie Webb-Pullman worked at the centre for several years as an international expert on gathering evidence of Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.
Before the latest Israeli attacks the centre had sent over 2000 claims of war crimes relating to Israel’s attack on Gaza in 2014 and its targeting the Great March of Return protests in March 2018.
We will have more about the centre in future newsletters.
In the meantime, people can donate to:
Account name: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-02 (Please put GCHR in the reference)
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.
A couple of pictures from the protests last week
Ōtautahi/Christchurch
Ahururi/Napier
Ten myths about Israel
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
Editor’s picks
Read Fadi al-Zant’s story here
Israeli Professor and pro-Palestine activist Ilan Pappe here
A terrorist state and a declining US empire wage genocide here
Torture, sexual abuse, leaving babies to die – these are Israeli crimes here (Jonathan Cook)
In Gaza, the West is enabling the most transparent genocide in human history here
October 7th – sifting truth from propaganda – Al Jazeera investigation here (video)
‘Like a sadistic video game”: Footage shows Israeli drone killing four Palestinians in Khan Younis sends shockwaves here
Other stories
Palestinian supporters on hikoi from Hutt Valley to Wellington here
Ban Israel from FIFA and Paris Olympics here
Food, not bombs: Gaza protestors picket outside MFAT offices in Auckland here
Protests and parody decry New York Times’ pro-Israel bias in Gaza coverage here
Rule of law declining across EU report warns here
Charles Drace on fascism here (video)
Kushner supports ethnic cleansing of Palestine here
‘Man-made famine’ charge against Israel is backed by mounting body of evidence here
Israeli diplomats pre-emptively attack findings of UNRWA inquiries here
World Bank report finds imminent risk of catastrophic famine in Gaza Strip here
Towards peace in Palestine” Ensuring your money isn’t fueling the cycle of violence here
British lawyer heading the ICC Palestine probe can’t be seen as neutral here
Israeli forces are brutally targeting civilians in Gaza City, burning houses near Al Shifa Medical Complex here
13 ICU patients killed after Israel storms Al Shifa Hospital here
Food is piled up in trucks just a few kilometres away, while children in Gaza are starving here
There is no moral argument that justifies the sale of weapons to Israel here
War in Gaza is dragging the US into a regional war here
Majority of Jewish Americans support Israel’s war against Hamas and how it is fought here
Biden’s pier of Depravity is dead in the water here
ICC needs to make a decision, same as they did with the Russian President here
UN chief calls blocked aid for Gaza a moral outrage here
UK slams Israel for blocking aid to Gaza ‘stuck at border for weeks’ here
AOC calls Israel’s war on Gaza an ‘unfolding genocide’ demands Biden halt arms sales here
Israeli army uses Palestinian civilians as human shields in its operation in Shifa Medical complex and its vicinity here
Israel confiscates 8,000 dunums in Jordan Valley for settlement construction plan here
State library in Victoria cancels pro-Palestinian author for cultural safety here
Palestinian city of Jericho names street after ‘martyr’ Aaron Bushnell here
The West: Israel never initiates violence – it only retaliates here
Top Australian broadcaster ABC under scrutiny for ‘pro-Israel’ bias here
Ireland joins the battle to include the blocking of vital aid in definition of genocide here
UN expert says she faces threats after Israel-Gaza genocide report here
‘Anatomy of a genocide’ – UN expert report is here
Gaza, Biden and an American intifada here
Easter: Gaza’s Christian community faces extinction here
New Gallup polling data released March 27 made this all too clear: Fifty-five percent now disapprove of Israel’s military campaign, and only 36 percent approve, a sharp reversal from November. Interestingly, the poll also noted that about 74 percent of American adults are following the conflict “closely,” suggesting this is no marginal issue…
US approves more bombs and fighter jets worth billions for Israel here
New ICJ ruling orders ‘unhindered’ aid ‘at scale’ for Gaza is welcomed by Euro-Med Monitor here
Is the UN Security Council’s Gaza resolution binding? here
Palestinian PM Mustafa forms cabinet, calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza here
In Gaza Palestinians drown in desperate attempt to get aid dropped in sea here
Oglala Sioux Tribe Passes Resolution in Support of Palestinians in Gaza here
Biden’s pier of depravity is a war crime here
Beyond begins today - Antony Loewenstein here
Why Israel faces a strategic defeat in Gaza here
Democratic Insider Rips 'Shocking' US Claim That Israel Is Following International Law here
Winston talks bullshit to his followers here
October 7th attack on Israel – Al Jazeera’s forensic analysis of what happened here (video)
UN expert says she faces threats after Israel/Gaza genocide report here
Not just Genocide but deliberate ecological disaster here
How Netanyahu will use the UN ceasefire resolution to prolong Gaza’s genocide here
Egypt sells out Palestinians for $10 billion loan package here
Scale of suffering in Gaza will make accusations of war crimes harder to deny here
Isolated abroad, torn apart at home, Israel must face the future it dreads: a Palestinian state here
The world knows nothing about the Palestinian struggle here
Is a two-state solution possible for Israel/Palestine here (All Jazeera video)
Israel’s disinformation apparatus: a key weapon in its arsenal here
ICJ orders Israel to stop famine in Gaza as Israel continues to raid hospitals here
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)