PSNA Newsletter No 167 - December 18 2024
18 Hakihea 2024
18 December 2024
Newsletter No 167
Israeli soldiers have been denied visas to enter Australia over war crime concerns – New Zealand government is silent…
PSNA media release this week:
Some Israeli soldiers have been denied visas to enter Australia after being required to fill in a 13-page form to determine if they had been involved in war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israelis coming to New Zealand face no such requirements.
Since 2019 Israelis can enter New Zealand for three months without needing a visa. This visa-waiver is used by Israeli soldiers today for “rest and recreation” from the genocide in Gaza.
“We face having Israeli soldiers rejected by Australia over war crime concerns jumping on a plane to New Zealand”
“We cannot depend on Israeli soldiers to give accurate reports of their involvement in war crimes so we have asked the government to suspend all visas for Israelis who are serving or who have served in the Israeli Defence Force” says PSNA National Chair John Minto.
United Nations officials, the International Court of Justice and now Amnesty International have all used the term genocide to describe the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza where over 45,000 People – mostly women and children – have been slaughtered by the IDF.
“Last month the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity”.
“All the red flags for genocide have been visible for months but our National-led coalition government is giving the green light to those responsible for war crimes to enter New Zealand”
“New Zealand’s response to genocide in Gaza has been a cowardly refusal to stand up for the Genocide Convention which requires us to ‘prevent and punish’ the crime of genocide”
This needs to change today.
Already Israel is warning IDF soldiers who have posted images of themselves and others committing war crimes in Gaza to avoid travelling abroad.
We don’t want any of them here.
(See what you can do to help later in this newsletter!)
PSNA national conference February 22/23 in Wellington
Palestinian playwright, scholar, commentator and poet, Samah Sabawi, will be a keynote speaker at the PSNA national conference in February. Samah is based in Australia and will be at our conference as part of a short speaking tour of Aotearoa New Zealand – more details in the next newsletter.
Samah will also be promoting her latest book “Cactus pear for my beloved”.
Samah is a marvellous speaker and wonderful advocate for Palestine. We are delighted to have her deliver a keynote address at the conference.
We hope to be able to confirm another international speaker for the conference in our next newsletter.
Mark the date 22/23 February to be in Wellington. More details of the programme will follow in future newsletters.
We will arrange billeting in Wellington for people from out of town and we will be able to help out with petrol costs to get there and airfares for those too far away to drive easily.
It will be a fantastic uplifting conference - looking forward to seeing you there!
PS: You can grab a copy of Samah’s new book “Cactus Pear for My Beloved: A family story from Gaza” at this link:
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/cactus-pear-for-my-beloved-9781761344978
Open letter calls for government to refuse to accept the credentials of a new Israeli ambassador
Former Israeli ambassador Ran Yaakoby given free rein to justify genocide in Gaza in an interview with TVNZ earlier this year.
PSNA has joined a broad coalition of groups to appeal to the government to refuse to accept a new Israeli ambassador after the departure of current ambassador Ran Yaakoby. The letter was organised by Justice for Palestine and is reprinted here:
16 December 2024
Rt Hon Winston Peters Minister of Foreign Affairs Parliament Buildings WELLINGTON
Copy to: Prime Minister, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Tēnā koe Minister,
We are aware that the term of the current Israeli ambassador is coming to an end. We, the undersigned organisations, urge you, on behalf of the New Zealand government, to refuse to accept the credentials of a replacement ambassador while Israel continues to disregard international law.
The Israeli regime is currently committing a genocide in Gaza and the International Criminal Court has issued warrants for the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes. The International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion from July 2024 declared Israel’s occupation of Palestine illegal and identified numerous international law obligations that Israel is violating, manifesting in systematic breaches of Palestinians’ fundamental human rights.
The current Israeli regime, and any representative of that regime, is flagrantly flouting international law and has ignored all calls for it to cease its illegal activities in Gaza and the wider Occupied Palestinian Territories. It is quite clear that Israel intends to continue expanding its illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and to re-settle Gaza – changing the facts on the ground to such an extent that a two-state solution, or any just solution, becomes an impossibility.
The ICJ makes it clear that all states parties – including New Zealand – have obligations not to recognize, and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by measures that are illegal under international law. The failure of the international community to hold Israel to account for its actions is undermining the integrity of the rules-based international order that New Zealand relies upon.
While ordinarily a diplomatic mission provides an avenue for dialogue, it is clear that the Israeli regime is not prepared to respond to the concerns of the New Zealand government.
Therefore, we urge you to announce that New Zealand will not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel until it demonstrates that it is prepared to comply with its international obligations. Please do not accept diplomatic credentials from a regime carrying out war crimes.
Nā mātou noa, nā
Justice for Palestine
ActionStation /Alternative Jewish Voices (NZ)/ Aotearoa Christians for Peace in Palestine /Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine/ Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga/ Auckland Action Against Poverty /Auckland Peace Action /The Basket Hauraki - Social and Environmental Justice /Ceasefire Now Hawkes Bay/ Dayenu: New Zealand Jews Against Occupation/ DECOL Collective Whanganui /Falastin Tea Collective /First Union - Dennis Maga, General Secretary, on behalf of First Union Kaiāwhina Tāmaki Matika mō Paretinia Mauri o te Moana /NZCTU - Te Kauae Kaimahi /Otago Staff for Palestine /Otago Students for Justice in Palestine/ Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa /Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Whanganui /Palestine Solidarity Network Whangārei /Palestine Solidarity Taranaki /Palestine Human Rights Campaign Waikato /Peace Action Wellington/ Peace Movement Aotearoa /People Against Prisons Aotearoa /Professor Richard Jackson, Co-Director Te Ao O Rongomaraeroa - The National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago /Protect Pūtiki /Rainbow Youth/ Reanga Taketake Satellites /Stand with Palestine Waiheke /Student Justice for Palestine Pōneke /Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury /Tauranga Moana for Palestine /Te Kuaka /Te Tau Ihu Palestine Solidarity / University of Auckland Student Justice for Palestine
Four things you can do this week to support Palestine with just a few clicks…
1) Send this message, or write your own, to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs – and copy in your local MP.
Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
W.Peters@ministers.govt.nz
Cc Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
C.Luxon@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Mr Peters,
Some Israeli soldiers have been denied visas to enter Australia after being required to fill in a 13-page form to determine if they had been involved in war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israelis coming to New Zealand face no such requirements and freely come to Aotearoa for “rest and recreation” from the genocide in Gaza. We face having Israeli soldiers rejected by Australia over war crime concerns jumping on a plane to New Zealand.
Many Israeli soldiers have posted images of themselves and others committing war crimes. We don’t want any of them here.
We cannot depend on Israeli soldiers to give accurate reports of their involvement in war crimes so we are asking the government to suspend all visas for Israelis who are serving or who have served in the Israeli Defence Force.
All the red flags for genocide in Gaza have been visible for over a year. We need to stop giving the green light to those responsible for war crimes to enter New Zealand and stand up for Palestinian and for the Genocide Convention which requires us to ‘prevent and punish’ the crime of genocide.
Please respond to this message without unnecessary delay.
(Your name)
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2) Share this “Boycott Sodastream” meme again on your social media pages – we don’t want people to unwittingly buy genocide supporting products for Christmas.
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3) Download the new “boycat” app for your phone to scan products subject to Palestinian-led BDS campaigning – this is what it looks like in the App stores.
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4) Sign the Amnesty International petition calling for the NZ government to act on Gaza genocide
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:
Tamaki Makaurau Auckland Rally poster for this weekend
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
No Rally this week
Kerikeri - Rally
No Rally this week. First Saturday of the month
Whangarei – Rally
No more Rallies until the new year
Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island
Auckland – Picket the UK Consulate
Wednesday 18 December
12:00 noon
UK Consulate - 151 Queen Street, Auckland CBD
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Every Saturday
This week
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
“Westfield Newmarket” on Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland
Text John on 021 899 659 for more details
Auckland – Raise Your Voice for Palestine
Saturday 21 December
2:00 pm
Te Komititanga - Britomart Square, Tamaki Makaurau
Thames – Vigil to Stop the war on Children
(Hosted by The Basket – Social and Environmental Justice - Hauraki)
No Rally this weekend. First Saturday of the month
Tauranga - Flags
Sunday 22 December
11:00 am
Coronation Park, Mt Manganui
Whakatane
Rallies are starting to be organised - Watch this space
Hamilton – Flag Waving for Palestine
Saturday 21 December
1:00 pm
Flynn Park, Cnr Wairere Drive & Naylor, Hamilton
Hamilton – BDS Action
Saturday 21 December
1:00 pm
The Base - cnr Wairere Drive & Te Rapa Road
Raglan – Art Auction
Wednesday 18 – Saturday 21
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Open Auction is on Saturday at 6:00 pm
Cambridge - Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall
Rotorua – Rally for Palestine
Every Thursday
4:30 pm
National MP Todd McClays Office - Cnr Amohau and Ranolf St lights, Rotorua
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 21 December
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 22 December
1:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North - Rally
Sunday November 22
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Flags at the Council
Thursday 19 December
4:30 – 5:30 pm
In front of the Council Building
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Friday 20 December
No flags this week, see above event
New Plymouth – March for Gaza
Saturday 21 December
1:00 PM
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
Whanganui - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 21 December
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 – Flags on the Bridge
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Every Friday
7:15 – 8:15 am
Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington
Wellington – Vigil for Palestine
(hosted by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine)
Every Friday
6:00 pm
In front of Wellington Hospital, 49 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington
Wellington – Rally
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Saturday 21 December
1:00 pm
Corner of Hunter St and Lambton Quay under the Protoplasm statue
South Island
Nelson – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 21 December
10:30 am
1903 Square, Upper Trafalgar Street, Nelson
Blenheim - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 21 December
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Christchurch - Flag Waving for Palestine
Friday 20 December
4:00 – 6:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Christchurch – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 21 December
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Timaru
No Rally this weekend
Dunedin – Rally
No rally this week
Queenstown
No rally this weekend
Invercargill - Rally for Palestine
Sunday 22 December
1:00 pm
Wachner place Invercargill
It should be Netanyahu in handcuffs being led to trial at the International Criminal Court…
,,,but unfortunately it isn’t.
After an assault on a Palestine solidarity supporter, a handcuffed supporter of Israel is being led away by police at the demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in Wellington on Monday 9th December.
The demonstration was to highlight the Amnesty International Report on Israeli genocide.
The man will face charges of assault in the Wellington District Court in February.
Netanyahu on international law
Money link to Israeli settlements ignites New Plymouth battle
The mayor of New Plymouth Neil Holdom has got himself in hot water. Firstly he refused to allow the New Plymouth District Councillors to vote on a motion to end procurement from companies supporting illegal Israeli settlements. Secondly he refused to allow discussion on a ceasefire motion for Gaza despite appeals from local iwi and now his council has been outed for having investments in companies supporting illegal Israeli settlements!
Neil Holdom is an apologist for Israeli war crimes. The full story is here.
A 23-metre fence in Auckland’s Point Chevalier…
Quotes of the week
“I carried [an 8-year-girl, shot in the neck by an Israeli soldier] crying, to the medical corner, but her bleeding was uncontrollable. She was vomiting blood and passed away in my arms. Her death was the most devastating thing I’ve witnessed in my entire life.”
—Linah Alradiyah, Gaza resident
“My daughter died because of famine, lack of medicine, and sheer terror.”
—Howaida Kilani, Gaza resident
The three wise men in Whakatū/Nelson point to the right of return
Three wise men in Whakatū/Nelson got a makeover during a Palestine solidarity event last week…
Flightless in Gaza - fundraiser
PSNA has been gifted a beautiful piece of porcelain artwork by Canterbury artist Jane Whales to be used as a fundraiser. It’s called “Flightless in Gaza” and shows scarred lives rising from a scared landscape. It features an adult hand rising from the rubble which holds a child’s hand which cradle’s a dead bird. It is 36cm tall by 9cm at the base .
A work like this from Jane would sell for more than $1000 so we are asking for this as a minimum. So far we haven’t had any bids that reach the minimum so please take another look and make a bid by 5pm on Christmas Eve. Email bids to bronwensummers@gmail.com
What to boycott over Summer?
Watch out for the main BDS targets over summer – don’t buy them and spread the word to friends, family and workmates…
1) Sodastream
2) HP products
3) BP and Caltex petrol stations
4) McDonald’s
5) Ahava beauty products
Tautoko Gaza in music
TAUTOKO GAZA
Tautoko Gaza - Aotearoa Artists in Solidarity with Palestine
You can listen and buy the album at the link above - all funds go to Medical Aid for Palestine!
Give this album the big push it deserves!
A great Xmas present.
And more marvellous Xmas presents…
We are ready to mail to you any of our t-shirts, long ($35) and short ($30) sleeved, hoodies ($45) bumper stickers ($3), Tino/Palestine pins ($3) flags ($10) and other items plus postage.
Marvellous Xmas presents – email bronwensummers@gmail.com with your Xmas order.
Important stories this week
Editor’s Pick’s
PSNA condemns NZ welcome for genocidal Israeli tourists while no humanitarian visas for Palestinians here
Australia denies some Israeli soldiers visas over war crimes – PSNA urges NZ to do the same here
Nearly one million at risk during winter in Gaza UNRWA says here
Israel to deploy automated weapons in occupied West Bank, report says here
Israel occupies 3 new villages in southern Syria here
Israel approves plan to surge settler population in occupied Golan Heights here
How Israel Lost its Soul here
Israeli army systematically targets medical teams in effort to destroy Palestinian life in northern Gaza here
Palestinians decry ‘barbaric’ Israel strike on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp here
At least 34 Palestinians killed in unabated Israeli attacks in Gaza here
Israel arrested 12,100 Palestinians in West Bank since Oct 2023 here
Israel to close embassy in Ireland after Dublin backs Gaza genocide case here
Other Stories
US officials talked about the merits of removing $10million bounty on Syrian rebel leader here
Amnesty International doubles down on Israeli genocide atrocities report at NZ rally here
Assad is out – woke Al Qaeda is in hereAustralian leaders must stop fanning hate and division here
The ceasefire in Lebanon paused the war but not the struggle against genocide here
From South Africa to Syria – rising perils for Palestine solidarity here
Who benefits from an attack on the synagogue in Melbourne here
Israel Declares War on Syria: Bombing Campaign and Occupation of 2,400 Square Kilometres here
Doctors in Gaza Say They Have No Doubt Israel Is Targeting Them here
Assad downfall: Is the Arab Spring back from the dead? here
Law and order crackdown won’t make Jewish community safer here
History repeats in the most chilling of ways here
The dismemberment of Syria is a crime here
RSF says global attacks on journalists ‘alarming’, Gaza ‘most dangerous’ and seeks ‘urgent action’ here
UN backs immediate ceasefire in Gaza but three Pacific nations vote against here
Israel builds flexible presence in Syria as window opens to strike Iran here
Amnesty International on the genocide in Gaza here (video)
Inside Israel’s opportunistic invasion of Syria here
Israel accuses Ireland of ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’ as it moves to close embassy here
The new carve-up of the Middle East will not bring peace here
How the US and Israel Destroyed Syria and Called it Peace here
Israeli soldiers kill disabled man during West Bank raid 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 - 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)