PSNA Newsletter No 168 - December 24 2024
24 Hakihea 2024
24 December 2024
Newsletter No 168
It has been the toughest of years for Palestine and our thoughts are with our Palestinian friends and family here and across the world – and most especially in Gaza.
The road ahead is very difficult because although the vast mass of humanity is on the side of Palestine, the western elites – including here in Aotearoa New Zealand – through cowardice, self-interest and plain ugly anti-Palestinian racism – still support the genocidal apartheid state of Israel.
As was the case with apartheid South Africa, the path forward for Palestine solidarity groups such as PSNA is to develop uncompromising, “bottom-up” campaigns of boycott, divestment and sanction. Leadership to liberation will never come from our politicians – it will come from campaigns we organise through the Palestinian-led BDS movement!
We wish all our supporters the very best for the festive season and a happy New Year. Stay safe and enjoy the warmth of family and friends over the holiday time.
A Christmas song from the children of Palestine to the people of the world
We share our version of the timeless “Little Drummer Boy.” Our hearts come together in prayer for the safety of the children in Gaza. May our shared prayers echo for peace and justice, weaving a tapestry of hope that goes beyond borders, embracing the shared humanity we all hold dear.
The song – sung by Ramallah Friends School is here
Pope Frances slams the bombing of children
‘Cruelty, Not War’ – Pope Francis Slams Bombing of Gaza Children here
Jesus was a Palestinian Jew
Kathleen Rushton RSM, a Catholic Mercy Sister, spoke on Jesus as a Palestinian Jew at the PSNA Ōtautahi rally in Christchurch last Saturday 21 December
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Christmas story is well known, however, in the popular imagination are many flaws so let us return to Palestine where Jesus was born and uncover two aspects of his story which may relate to the plight of the people of Palestine today and especially their children: (1.) Jesus, a Palestinian (2.) living under Roman occupation
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. … 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)
1. Jesus a Tribal Palestinian Jew
Tribal Palestinian Joseph, a descendant of King David, was returning to the village of his origins. In this part of the world memories were long and the extended family, with its connections to its village of origin is important. In such a culture, when Joseph arrived in Bethlehem and said: “I am Joseph, son of Heli, son of Matthat son of Levi …” all homes would be open to him. And woman about to give birth would be given the care she needed by women.
For the Western mind, the word, manger invokes a stable or barn but not in traditional villages. Simple village homes had two rooms.[i] One was exclusively for guests (Greek katalyma) and the main room was a “family room” where the entire family cooked, ate, slept and loved. At the end of this room next to the door either a few feet lower or blocked off was an area where the family cow, donkey and a few sheep sheltered at night. What is translated as “the inn” (Luke 2:7) is the guest room which was full so Mary and Joseph were in the family room and placed the baby in the manager which was near a door shared by family and animals.
2. Roman Occupation
Joseph was returning to his village to be registered for taxation purposes taxed. New Zealand actor, Keisha Castle-Hughes starred as Mary, mother of Jesus, in 2005 movie, The Nativity Story. This movie is the best I have seen that attempts to show the oppressive, ever-present force of the occupying Roman Army. There is, for example, a scene in which soldiers storm the home of man who is unable to pay the Roman tax and capture his daughter and take her into slavery.
Interpreting the Bible as a Palestinian “living on Palestinian soil, under Israeli occupation, as a Christian,” Bethlehem-based Professor Mitri Raheb understands that the entire Bible “struggles to find a faithful response to various and recurring empires.”[ii] Jesus, in his context, was a Middle Eastern Palestinian Jew living under Roman occupation. He lived and preached God’s alternative basileia. This Greek word which is translated as “reign” or “kingdom” was also used of the “empire” or basileia of Rome. Jesus is referred to as “King” (Greek basileus) which was one of titles used of the emperor.
Raheb reinterprets “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt 5:5).[iii] According to him, this verse from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) rarely receives attention because it was translated incorrectly. This verse is from Psalm 37:11: “But the meek shall inherit the land.” The Hebrew word, “land,” not “earth,” is repeated several times (vv.3, 9, 11, 22, 29, 34) and speaks about a certain Land, Palestine. At the time when Jesus said the meek will inherit the Land, everyone knew what was meant by the Land. He meant Palestine which was occupied by the Romans with whom the Jewish elites collaborated. When the words of Jesus were translated from Aramaic to Greek, the word meaning “land” was changed to “earth.” In quoting Psalm 37, Jesus goes back to the Assyrians, the first empire to occupy Palestine in 722 BCE. They were placed by the Babylonians In 587 BCE who lasted only a short time because along came the Persians in 538 BCE. The Persians were forced to leave by Alexander the Great. Then, came the Romans. None of these lasted forever.
And now I quote Mitri Raheb:
For Palestinians, the Romans were not the last empire. Our history continued after the Romans with the Byzantines (332), Arabs (637), Tartars (1040), Crusaders (1099), Ayyubids (1187), Tartars (1244), Mamluks (1291), Mongols (1401), Ottomans (1516), British (1914), and Israelis (1948/67), to name just the main occupiers.[1]
Raheb explores how the “historic Jesus” in the early 21st century biblical studies was interpreted as being remarkably apolitical throughout a century of unprecedented political turmoil.[iv] Among the questions he asks is: “What responses did Jesus proclaim in the face of the empire?” Raheb shows that for Jesus, faith was active in dismantling empire through the alternative vision of the basileia/empire of God. The way of Jesus is to be seen in the context of Palestine and Raheb sets before us the challenge for today living this way is “to engage and change empire”[v] by standing and acting in with solidarity with Palestinians this Christmas.
[1] This section draws on Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Western Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels, London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2008, 25-28. Bailey spent 40 years living and teaching in the Middle East.
[1] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Western Eyes, 28-34.
[1] Mitri Raheb, Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible through Palestinian Eyes, Maryknoll NY: Orbis, 2014, 7th Printing 2017, 11.
[1] Raheb, Faith in the Face of Empire, 96-100.
[1] Raheb, Faith in the Face of Empire, 10. On how peoples of different ethnic and religious backgrounds lived harmoniously in Palestine over the centuries and how one empire after the other used this multi-ethic fabric to divide and marginalise, see Mitri Raheb, The Politics of Persecution: Middle Eastern Christians in an Age of Empire, Waco TX: Baylor University Press, 2021 and his lecture, “The Politics of Persecution,” <https://youtu.be/8ciMZUpimx0> (1 February, 2022).
[1] Raheb, Faith in the Face of Empire, 93-107
[1] Raheb, Faith in the Face of Empire, 95-96.
Note another Palestinian writer I find helpful is: Naim S. Ateek, “A Palestinian Perspective: Biblical Perspectives on the Land.” In Voices from the Margin: Interpreting the Bible in the Third World, ed. R.S. Sugirtharajah, 150-154. 25th Anniversary Edition. Maryknoll NY: Orbis, 2011. Accessed EBook.
Reminder 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
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
No Rally this week
Kerikeri - Rally
No Rally this week. First Saturday of the month
Whangarei – Rally
No more Rallies until the new year
Auckland – Standing for Peace
Every Weekday
3:00 pm at the US Consulate, 23 Customs Street East, m Auckland
4:00 pm – Outside Britomart Railway Station, Auckland
Waiheke – Market Stall
Hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island
Auckland – No Picket
Wednesday 25 December
No Picket – Christmas day – Have a break
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
No Banners this Saturday
Next Event Saturday January 4
St Lukes road overbridge (by Motat)
Auckland – Echo’s of Palestine
Saturday 28 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 29 December
11:00 am
Coronation Park, Mt Manganui
Hamilton – Flag Waving for Palestine
Every Saturday
1:00 pm
Flynn Park, Cnr Wairere Drive & Naylor, Hamilton
Hamilton – No Christmas Break for Palestinians
Saturday 28 December
2:00 pm
Flynn Park, Cnr Wairere Drive & Naylor, Hamilton
Cambridge - Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall
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 28 December
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 29 December
1:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North - Rally
No Rally this weekend
Next Rally Sunday 5 January
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
No flags this weekend
Resume on Friday 3 January
New Plymouth – Rally
No Rally this weekend.
Resume on Saturday 4 January
Whanganui - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 28 December
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
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)
No Flags this Friday
Resume on Friday 9 January
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)
No Rally this weekend.
Start again on January 10
South Island
Nelson – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 28 December
10:30 am
1903 Square, Upper Trafalgar Street, Nelson
Blenheim - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 28 December
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Christchurch – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 28 December
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Timaru
No Rally this weekend
Dunedin – Rally
No rally this weekend
Queenstown
No rally this weekend
Invercargill - Rally for Palestine
Sunday 29 December
1:00 pm
Wachner place Invercargill
Some pics from around the country
Paddling the points for Palestine at Whaingaroa/Raglan in a fundraiser for Gaza
Palestine solidarity protest in Ōtepoti/Dunedin this week
Wellington protest in support of Amnesty International report on Israel’s genocide. The chap by the building is standing up for genocide.
The “Old Guard” protest outside the British Consulate in Auckland.
Palestine solidarity activists with Te Pati Māori reps protest New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom’s refusal to debate council investments in companies supporting illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine
A cheeky advertisement for Oh Bubbles! – the local alternative to Sodastream
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
Francesca Albanese speaks out about mainstream western media – New Zealand included
The racist Zionist playbook
RIP Michael Leunig
Marvellous Australian cartoonist and strong support of Palestine has died – Rest in Peace Michael
Quotes of the week
The U.S. wanted regime change, not peace. In September 2024, Netanyahu addressed the General Assembly with a map of the Middle East divided between “Blessing” and “Curse,” with Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Iran as part of Netanyahu’s curse. The real curse is Israel’s path of mayhem and war, which has now engulfed Lebanon and Syria, with Netayahu’s fervent hope to draw the U.S. into war with Iran as well.
Jeffrey Sachs, Economist; Sybil Fares, adviser on Middle East policy
“Solidarity is the political version of love.”
(Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz, Jewish American lesbian feminist, author and activist (1945-2018))
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
Merchandise for sale
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.
See more on the PSNA website here.
Email Merchandise@PSNA.nz with your order.
Important stories this week
Editor’s Pick’s
Susan Abulhawa: Holocaust of our time here
The BBC’s Civil War Over Gaza here
Israeli-American historian describes attacks on Gaza as war of annihilation here
Israel a lawless rogue state over bombing Syria 800 times and expanding occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights here
Al Jazeera cameraman the third journalist killed by Israel in Gaza in the last 24 hours here
Global watchdog condemns Fiji for blocking protest marches over genocide in Gaza here
Rights groups file war crimes complaint against French-Israeli soldier who served in Gaza here
How Many People Have Died of Starvation in Gaza? | World Peace Foundation here
Other Stories
What did you do? 2040 report here
Patterns of Israeli attacks investigated showing evidence of intentional killing of civilians here
US prepared Syrian rebel group to help topple Bashar Assad here
It is the US/Israel who will decide the future of Syria – not the liberators here
Tell BNP to stop bankrolling these war crimes – add your name here
They destroyed what was inside us: The children of Gaza here
Four Palestinians Have Died in Shin Bet Interrogations Since War Started here
‘Can’t Remain Indifferent’: Norway Spotlights Gaza Ahead of World Cup Qualifier Against Israel here
Israel demolishes more Palestinian homes in occupied Jerusalem here
From Mount Hermon’s Peaks, Netanyahu Plots His Vision of a Greater Israel here
Palestinian history being ‘erased’ by establishment and media, say experts here
Decapitated and shredded bodies – survivors recount Israeli attacks on schools here
Jordan Braces as Israeli Annexation Of West Bank Looms here
Irish support for Palestinians stands firm, despite Israeli anger here
Why did Israel kill the last orthopaedic surgeon in northern Gaza? here
New Zealand’s own holocaust deniers here
Israel, not the ‘liberators’ of Damascus, will decide Syria’s fate here
Palestinian children face unrelenting genocide, displacement, and systematic abuse throughout 2024 – Defence for Children International report here
Israel committing ‘acts of genocide’ by cutting off water in Gaza, HRW says here
Gaza death trap: MSF report exposes Israel’s campaign of total destruction here
Al-Hassan Mosque Massacre: Euro-Med Monitor investigation reveals Israeli military killed over 15 Palestinians during dawn prayer in Gaza here
Israeli settlers set mosque on fire in occupied West Bank here
Chile president: Israel PM is a ‘war criminal’ here
Germany finds Human Rights Watch report on Israeli acts of genocide in Gaza ‘shocking’ here
Constituents Sue Two Congress Members for Funding Genocide, and You Can Sue Yours here
The BBC’s Civil War Over Gaza here
Alternative commentators on Gaza/Palestine
Some suggestions from a PSNA supporter:
Here are some alternative media commentators “pro resistance, pro-Palestine, pro-peace etc like Danny Haiphong (young US Vietnamese/Chinese journalist on You Tube) interviewing Dan Kovalik, human rights lawyer who wrote his new book a “Case for Palestine” and Scott Ritter, ex weapons inspector from the Iraq war, highly commended US Marine who is very critical of his US governments foreign policy.
There are other good commentators, interviewers like Medhi Hason of Zeteo who left MSNBC because they didn’t like his pro-Palestinian position, Judge Andrew Napolitano (ex Fox News commentator) who has phenomenal interviewees, Chas Freeman (ex US diplomat from Nixon days) Pepe Escobar (geo political journalist in Russia) Ramia Khalek on Breakthrough News.
There are also alternative press like Mint Press (who have been bullied by Youtube), Break through News, the Thinking Muslim, Consortium News, Declassified UK/Australia, Israeli historians and activitists Professors Noam Chomsky, Illan Pappe and Norman Finkelstein. Palestinian historian Professor Rashid Khalidia at Columbia University, Iranian historian Professor Mohammed Marandi. British Iraq philosopher and rapper Low Key. Grayzone Jewish journalists Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate. Chris Hedges. In England Novara media, Double Down News, and George Galloway on MOATS (Mother of all talk shows). Reason2Restist Dimitri Lascaris (Canadian lawyer and political analyst), Syriana Analysis, Kevork Almassian (ethnic Armenian raised in Syria living in Germany); Larry Johnson of Counter Currents, Empire Files, Neutrality Studies, Palestine Deep Dive.
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)