PSNA Newsletter No 158 - October 16 2024
16 Whiringa-ā-nuku 2024
16 October 2024
Newsletter No 158
Getting much tougher with the coalition of complicity
It may not seem possible, but the situation has become even more horrific in Gaza and across the Middle East in the past fortnight.
If we are serious about stopping the genocide we must get much tougher with our government and MPs in the ruling coalition of complicity. We must demand accountability for New Zealand’s pious platitudes in response to Israel’s industrial scale slaughter of Palestinians – mostly women and children – across the region.
Something you can do now with a few clicks…
Cut and paste this letter into an email to the Prime Minister
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
c.luxon@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Mr Luxon,
We write to you as a matter of utmost urgency, with a rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
The policy of appeasement towards Israel over the past year by western countries has failed miserably. Israel has expanded its attacks and has abandoned all pretence of any sort of negotiated settlements.
Our government is holding on desperately to a hopelessly weak and indefensible policy towards the Middle East. I have no doubt you know this.
Israel is running riot with endless bombing and killing as it spreads murder and mayhem. The majority of victims in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank are women and children – tens of thousands of children.
You and I know this would never be tolerated if the victims were European.
The situation has now become even more desperate and deadly with
Israel has refused to allow any food or supplies to be delivered since the beginning of this month to northern Gaza. It has again unleased its firepower with absolute impunity on refugee camps and other civilian areas with the openly stated aim of ethnic cleansing of the majority of the 400,000 Palestinians who remain there.
Israel’s delivery of its threat to turn Lebanon into another Gaza, with attacks throughout the country, including Christian areas.
Israel’s endless attempts to widen the war across the region into Iran with repeated violations of its sovereignty until Iran responded – though without a single Israeli casualty.
Israel’s blatant attacks on UNIFIL positions, and demands that UNIFIL withdraw from its mission to allow Israeli military advances further into Lebanon to achieve regime change for a Lebanese government subservient to its interests.
Despite all that has happened over 12 months you have issued only platitudes “calling an all sides to exercise restraint” and condemnation of all parties Israel decides that is its enemies.
You have failed to condemn Israel for anything it has ever done against the Palestinian victims of its settler colonial project and yet you have condemned every act of Palestinian resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.
Other countries, the UK, France, Spain, Norway, and Ireland have spoken out and taken, albeit token, action to remind Israel that it is operating outside international law.
History will condemn your 12 months of complicit silence but action now can make a real difference and saves tens of thousands of innocent lives. A minimum list of actions includes:
Condemn Israeli action against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank as war crimes
Join South Africa’s case of proving genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice
Implement the recent obligations specified by the ICJ under the Geneva Conventions towards ending Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
Identify and ban imports of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
End procurement of goods and services from companies identified by the United Nations as complicit in building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements
Direct the Superfund, ACC and Kiwisaver providers to divest from companies on the UN list
Investigate the export of Rakon Industry components which are incorporated into US weapons which almost inevitably end in the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
Immediately close the Israeli embassy as Israel’s propaganda and lobby outlet in New Zealand
Clearly and publicly state that NZDF personnel in the Middle East will neither participate in nor provide assistance to either US or Israel attacks or preparations for attacks on Iran
Publicly join other countries in condemning the Israeli military attack on UNIFIL and demand of Israel that it will cease to demand UNIFIL withdraw from any of its positions in Lebanon
Reiterate New Zealand’s participation in UNTSO and demand that Israel allow UNTSO continue its work unmolested
Demand Israel revoke its declaration that the UN Secretary General is persona non grata in Israel.
Note and support this UN report https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/un-commission-finds-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-israeli-attacks
Please respond to this letter urgently.
Na,
(name and contact details)
We need much more of this…Palestine protestors disrupt NZ First Conference – confront Peters – BRAVO!
Keep your ear to the ground
Pass on to us any news you have of government MPs at public events so we can hold them to account. Send messages to Secretary@PSNA.nz
Nationwide rallies/marches/MP protests/vigils 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
Or events are on the PSNA Facebook events page here
There are more than 30 events around the Motu this week.
North Island
Opononi - Gathering for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
1.30pm
Opononi (outside the Four Square)
Kerikeri - Rally
Saturday 19 October
No Rally this weekend
Whangarei – Rally
Saturday 19 October
No Rally this weekend
Auckland – Picket
Friday 18 October
12:00 noon
New World Devonport -
35 Bartley Terrace, Devonport,
Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Saturday 19 October
10:00 am
Text John on 021 899 659 for location
Auckland – Central Bike Ride for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
Meet at 12.45 to leave (ride to the rally) at 1.10pm
Western Park. Ponsonby Road
Auckland – Rally
Saturday 19 October
2:00 pm
Te Komititanga - Britomart Square, Tamaki Makaurau
Then travel to Browns Bay for the Prayer Vigil for Gaza
Auckland - Prayer Vigil @ Erica Stanford’s Office
Aotearoa Christians for peace in Palestine will hold a Prayer Vigil to mark a year since the Israeli airstrike on St Porphyrius Church in Gaza City
Saturday 19 October
4:00 pm
85 Beach Front Lane, Browns Bay, Auckland
https://www.facebook.com/events/s/vigil-for-gaza-st-porphyrius-c/1056552113142463/
Auckland – Movie – The Last Sky
Saturday 19 October
7:00 pm
Trades Hall auditorium - 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Limited seats. Tickets essential
Admission by Koha
https://events.humanitix.com/the-last-sky
Director Nicholas Hanna will have a Q&A after the movie
Thames – Vigil to Stop the war on Children
(Hosted by The Basket – Social and Environmental Justice - Hauraki)
First Saturday of the month
Tauranga - Flag wave
Sunday 20 October
11:00 am
SH2 Bethlehem - By Woolworths
Hamilton – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
1:00 pm
Civic Square, Hamilton
Raglan
To be advised
Cambridge - Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall
Rotorua – Rally for Palestine
Every Thursday
4:00 pm
Rotorua Lakes Council, Haupapa Street (Sir Howard Morrison Corner)
Gisborne - Farmers Market - Vigil to Stop the war on Children
Every Saturday
9:30 – 11:30 am
Gisborne Farmers Market
Napier - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
1:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North - Rally for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Friday 18 September
4:30 pm
Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth
New Plymouth – Rally and March
Saturday 19 October
1:00 PM
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
Whanganui - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
Carterton – Gathering for Gaza
Every Tuesday
12:00 midday
Memorial Square.
Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough
Masterton - Gathering for Gaza
Every Sunday
9:30 am
Town Hall Lawn, Masterton
Featherston – Gathering for Gaza
Every Saturday
11:00 am
The Squircle (opposite the op shop).
Wellington – Vigil for Palestine (by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine)
Every Friday
6:00 pm
In front of Wellington Hospital
49 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington
Wellington – Flags on the Bridge
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Every Friday
7:15 – 8:15 am
Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington
Wellington – Rally
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Saturday 19 October
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Meet at Glover Park and Hikoi down Cuba Mall and back to Glover Park
South Island
Nelson – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
10:30 am
Rocks Road by the beach
Blenheim - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 19 October
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Christchurch – Nobela Protest
Thursday 17
11:45 am
Foodstuffs Headquarters
167 Main North Road, Northcote, Christchurch
Christchurch- Flag Waving for Palestine
Friday 18 October
4:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Christchurch – Rally and March
Saturday 19 October
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Timaru
No Rally this weekend
Dunedin – Rally and March
Saturday 19 October
No Rally this weekend
Queenstown
No Rally this weekend
Invercargill - Rally for Palestine
Sunday 20 October
1:00 pm
Wachner place Invercargill
BDS action: Watch out for the Obela campaign newsletter later this week
In the meantime you may want some of these stickers – send a note to obelastickers@PSNA.nz and we will send you some.
Zionism: Origins, goals and influence
PSNA is supporting and promoting this important webinar which is on next week…
Webinar: Christian Palestinians speak out
A lonely voice from inside TVNZ
Webinar – reshaping our malfunctioning world
Invitation from International League of People’s Struggle to an ILPS assembly on November 15-17
Already several people from PSNA are attending this event and it would be good if more can come. Here is the letter of invite we received.
Kia ora,
Warm greetings of solidarity!
We are honoured to invite PSNA to the first in-person assembly of the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) Aotearoa, where movements, organisations, and alliances committed to unity, cooperation, and coordination in anti-imperialist and democratic struggles will come together.
The assembly will take place from 2 pm on November 15 to 3 pm on November 17, 2024, at the Willowhaven Holiday Park in Rotorua.
This gathering is especially urgent in the face of global crises, including the worsening genocide in Palestine. As the resistance to imperialism grows, the need to strengthen our collective resolve has never been more critical. Together, we aim to build new alliances and fortify existing ones, ensuring that our global fight against imperialism and all forms of oppression remains steadfast and resolute.
Your participation in this assembly is vital, and we warmly welcome the powerful insights and contributions your organization will bring. Let us unite in solidarity to stand against imperialism and support the struggles of oppressed peoples worldwide.
For registration and more details of the conference please email ilps.nz@proton.me
Kasama sa pakikibaka/In Solidarity,
Eugene Velasco,
GABRIELA Aotearoa NZ Secretary
FIANZ young leaders call out government double standards on Palestine
This report is in Flipbook format here: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/23daea6d0c.html
You can email feedback and constructive suggestions on the way forward here: fianzyouthadvocacy@gmail.com
Don’t Bank on Apartheid
Right now, ASB KiwiSaver funds have over $14 million invested in Motorola Solutions Inc. who are part of a United Nations list of 116 companies enabling illegal Israeli settlements.4 They are the technology and surveillance arm of the Israeli military and have custom built technologies for this occupying force. Their technology is used in illegal settlements, checkpoints, in the illegal “separation barrier” and by the military.5 Due to the recent ruling at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) there is now also a legal case that we should not be doing business with companies like Motorola.
We are asking ASB to make a choice: divest its KiwiSaver funds from Motorola Solutions Inc. or watch your customers switch en masse on November 29th, Day of Solidarity with Palestinians.
Whether or not you have a Kiwisaver with ASB.
Genocide – in their own words
After Stuff newspapers pulled our paid advertisement from all their papers last week, the banned advertisement was published in the Christchurch Star community newspaper. Lots of positive feedback from local people here.
'Crime Against Humanity': UN Inquiry Details Israeli 'Extermination' of Gaza Healthcare
The full story is here
Cactus pear for my beloved – new book by Samah Sabawi
Don't forget to grab a copy of my new book Cactus Pear for My Beloved: A family story from Gaza
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/cactus-pear-for-my-beloved-9781761344978
What we saw in Gaza
This is what genocide looks like: These photographs of X-rays were provided by Dr. Mimi Syed, who worked in Khan Younis from Aug. 8 to Sept. 5. She said: “I had multiple pediatric patients, mostly under the age of 12, who were shot in the head or the left side of the chest. Usually, these were single shots. The patients came in either dead or critical, and died shortly after arriving.” Dr. Mimi Syed.
US doctors, nurses and paramedic report on what they saw in Gaza here
Tautoko Gaza in music
TAUTOKO GAZA
Tautoko Gaza - Aotearoa Artists in Solidarity with Palestine
This amazing compilation album from Aotearoa New Zealand artists was released in November last year to stand in support of Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
It has now been nominated for best compilation at the Mighty Aotearoa Alternative Award being held in Ōtautahi/Christchurch in early November.
You can listen and buy the album at the link below - all funds go to Medical Aid for Palestine!
Give this album the big push it deserves!
A great Xmas present…
And once again remember you can still take action on these asks from recent newsletters…
1. Each week thousands of letters are going to all MPs – have you written your letter and sent it to us so we can get it to all MPs?
All the details you need to join the letter-writing campaign are on our website here
2. Have you sent a letter of complaint to your local supermarket about selling Obela Hommus and other products yet?
Sample letter of complaint to your local supermarket
Kia ora,
I am asking you to withdraw Obela Hommus and other Obela products from your shelves because it is supporting the genocide in Gaza. Obela is owned by the Strauss Group in Israel which helps finance and provides “care packages” for Israeli troops involved in genocide in Gaza.
It is unacceptable to have such a product in the store, particularly as the International Court of Justice ruled last month that Israel’s occupation of Palestine is unlawful and that all countries should end any “aid or assistance” to Israel to maintain its illegal occupation.
Selling Israeli products in New Zealand supermarkets is assisting the Israeli economy enabling the occupation to continue.
Please stop selling this product which assists genocide and assists Israel to continue its occupation of in Palestine.
Please get back to me urgently.
Name
Contact details
More details of the campaign will be in the Obela Newsletter special later this week.
Remember BDS for Aotearoa New Zealand
Remember our big six BDS targets for Aotearoa New Zealand?
Obela Hummus and other Obela products
Ahava skin care products
Sodastream
HP (Hewlett-Packard)
BP and Caltex
McDonalds
BIBI - My Story
Watch out for this book in booksellers around the country which celebrates the life of a genocidal racist whom the Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court wants to arrest and try for war crimes…
If you see the book in a bookstore, protest to the management and/or be creative in shifting copies out of the public eye, use your imagination….
Important stories this week
Editor’s Pick’s
They planned to deliver aid to Gaza by sea – then Turkey shut them down here
Call on Israel to end its brutal occupation and ban imports from illegal settlements here (Amnesty campaign)
I’m betting on Gaza – it’s unbreakable here
How Israel has made trauma a weapon of war here
A year of genocide, a year of protest here
Israeli army's intention to deliberately kill civilians and non-combatants and prevent aid and relief to them, disregarding international law here
Bezalel Smotrich calls for Israel's borders to extend to Damascus here
Other Stories
Israel’s attack on Gaza in the last 12 months has wiped out 902 entire families here
Know their names here
In the year 2040 people will ask: Why didn’t you do anything to stop the genocide here
Israel is Playing Hardball, Sucking The US Into Plot To Attack Iran here (“Not only would such a move be unconstitutional, but strategically stupid”)
50 years through the eyes of new historians in Israel here
How Israel has made trauma a weapon of war here
Atrocity Inc – how Israel sells its destruction of Gaza here
A year of erasing a people here
Call on Israel to end its brutal occupation and ban imports from illegal settlements here (Amnesty campaign)
Western double speak called out in this great wee video
Outrageous threat to UN peacekeepers in Lebanon here
Israel’s Blockade Bars WFP From Distributing Food “in Any Form” in North Gaza here
Israel subjects northern Gaza to one of the most violent campaigns of its genocide – international intervention required here
Gaza's cultural and religious heritage lies in ruins after a year of attacks by Israel here
MENA Sports Wrap: Gaza's sports community is being eradicated here
US calls out Israel at UN for 'catastrophic conditions' in Gaza here
Israel seizes UNRWA headquarters' land in occupied East Jerusalem here
Israeli assault on UN peacekeepers sparks widespread condemnation here
American Influence in the Middle East Is Evaporating Before Our Eyes here
GAZA after a year of war here
Investigating war crimes in Gaza here (Al Jazeera report)
West Bank Israeli settlers fundraise online for military equipment here
Germany will send more weapons to Israel soon, Scholz says here
How the US became blind to Israeli terror here
Western lies on the Sunni/Shia divide set region ablaze here
Government criticised for lack of transparency over some humanitarian pathways here
UN: Gaza is home to the largest number of amputee children in modern history here
‘Death sentence’: Asbestos released by Israel’s bombs will kill for decades here
Red Crescent ambulances in northern Gaza out of service due to lack of fuel here
UK charity launches campaign to prosecute British IDF soldiers here
United States Spending on Israel’s Military Operations and Related U.S. Operations in the Region, October 7, 2023-September 30, 2024 here
Israel does not have a right to defend itself as our PM keeps saying here
Yanis Varoufarkis speaks on the history of Palestine here
US and Israel plans for post Hezbollah Lebanon here
Equality under the law: the differing treatment of Hezbollah and Israel in Australia here
The ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe
A reader tells us this book can be obtained on electronic copy at no cost here Printed copies are available from The Nile, $26.10 + shipping from here.
There is also a 15-page article from Ilan Pappe based on the book and that is available here
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
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 - 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)