PSNA Newsletter No 180 - February 19 March 2025
19 Poutū-te-rangi 2025
19 March 2025
Newsletter No 180
Items in this newsletter
1. Message to Palestine Solidarity supporters
2. Gaza under attack – Government stalls again on any condemnation of Israel
3. Rallies/protests this week around the country
4. What you can do now with just a few clicks…
5. Green Party “Occupation of Palestine” bill
6. Radio New Zealand does “independent report” of its Palestine/Israel coverage
7. Dr Samah Jabr to visit in late April
8. Yousef Al Jamal to visit in early May
9. Government’s deafening silence on Gaza
10. Survey – how can we improve this newsletter?
11. Genocide hotline continues
12. Stories from the media
13. Merchandise for sale
14. SodaStream stickers available
Message to Palestine solidarity supporters
We have been in this current struggle against Israel’s genocide, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, theft of Palestinian land for 17 months now. Never in New Zealand history have we faced such a tough, relentless need to protest.
It’s been very tough emotionally and physically for all of us but especially so for our Palestinian whanau.
Despite our tiredness we need to pick up the pace again and work with renewed energy to build irresistible pressure on our cowardly, gutless government.
Palestine is the most important human rights and political issue of the 21st century – what we do in the coming weeks will resonate for decades ahead and into the future.
Kia kaha. Kia toa, kia manawanui!
Gaza under attack
(PSNA media release 18 March 2025)
Israel has today relaunched widespread genocidal air attacks on the besieged Palestinian people of Gaza.
“Immediate condemnation of Israel’s resumption of attacks on Gaza must come from the New Zealand government”, says Co National Chair of PSNA John Minto. “Israel has breached the January ceasefire agreement multiple times and is today relaunching its genocidal attacks against the Palestinian people of Gaza”
In the last few weeks Israel has:
refused to negotiate the second stage of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas which would see a permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza
Issued a complete ban on food, water, fuel and medical supplies entering Gaza – a war crime of epic proportions
Cut off the electricity supply desperately needed to, for example, operate desalination plants for water supplies
“The New Zealand government response has been a cowardly silence when the people of New Zealand have been calling for sanctions against Israel for its genocide”
“The government is out of touch with New Zealanders but in touch with the US/Israel”
“Foreign Minister Winston Peters seems to be explaining his silence as “keeping his nerve”
“For the past 17 months Peters has condemned every act of Palestinian resistance against 77 years of brutal colonisation and apartheid policies but he has refused to condemn any of the countless war crimes committed by Israel during this time – including the deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war.
“Speaking out to condemn Israel now is our opportunity to force it to reconsider and begin negotiations on stage two of the ceasefire agreement Israel is trying to walk away from”
“Palestinians and New Zealanders deserve no less”
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 25 events around the Motu this week.
North Island
Hokianga
No event this weekend
Kerikeri - Rally
First Saturday of the Month
April 5th
Whangarei - Rally gathering
Saturday 22 March
No event this week
Auckland – Stand for Palestine
Monday – Friday
3:00 – 4:00 pm at the US Consulate - 23 Customs Street East
4:00 – 5:00 pm at Te Komititanga Britomart Square
Auckland – Handing out Flyers at the University of Auckland
Wednesday 19 March
12:00 mid-day
Meet at the Library
Tāmaki Makaurau - 10km Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages
These 10km pilgrimages (3 hours) will continue to take place once a week until Thursday 17th April, the day before Good Friday.
Next one is Sunday 23rd March 2:45 pm
Wednesday 26th March @ 4:45pm
Thursday 3rd April @ 4:45pm
Tuesday 8th April @ 3:45pm (earlier time because daylight savings has ended)
Thursday 17th April @ 3:45pm.
Starting Location: Outside Onehunga Library, Onehunga
Ending Location: Auckland International Airport arrivals gate
See here for further details
Auckland – Film – No Other Land on Waiheke Island
Thursday 20 March
Check out Waiheke Island Cinema's website
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
Every Saturday
This week
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Join the team – text John on 021 899 659
Auckland – Rally and March
Saturday 22 March
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)
First Saturday of the month.
April 5
Tauranga – Flag Waving
Saturday 22nd March
10:00 am
Multi-cultural Festival, Historic Village. 17th Ave west, Tauranga south
Hamilton – Flag Waving for Palestine
Saturday 15 March
1:00 pm
Flynn Park, Cnr Wairere Drive & Naylor, Hamilton
Hamilton
No rally this weekend?
Raglan - Silent Vigil
Saturday 22 March
11:00 am
Bow Street, Raglan
Cambridge - Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall
Rotorua – Rally for Palestine
Every Thursday
4:30 pm
National MP Todd McClay’s Office - Cnr Amohau and Ranolf St lights, Rotorua
Napier - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 22 March
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
Hastings – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 23 March
1:30 – 3:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD
Palmerston North - Rally
Saturday 22 March
2:00 am
The Square, Palmerston North
New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge
Wednesday 19 March
4:30 – 6:00 pm
Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth
New Plymouth – Flags at Council
Friday 21 March
4:00 – 5:30 pm
New Plymouth District Council, 84 Liardet Street, New Plymouth
New Plymouth – Film – Where Olive Trees Weep
Saturday – March 22
1:00 pm
Methodist church 66 Liardet St, New Plymouth
Whanganui - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 22 March
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine
First Wednesday of the month
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
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective - third Saturday of the month)
Saturday 22 March
No Rally this weekend
Check out https://www.instagram.com/falastin_tea_collective for further details
South Island
Nelson – Celebrating ‘Unity in Diversity’ at the Multicultural Festival
Sunday 23rd March
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Founders Heritage Park, Nelson
Blenheim - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 22 March
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
Picton – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Picton Foreshore
Christchurch – Flags for Palestine
Friday 21 March
4:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
Christchurch – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 22 March
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance
Christchurch – Meeting with Winston Peters
Sunday 23 March
1:00 pm
James Hay Theatre - 86 Kilmore Street, Christchurch Central City
Dunedin – Rally
Moved to once a month
No Rally this weekend
Invercargill - Rally for Palestine
Every Sunday
1:00 pm
Wachner Square, Invercargill
What can you do now with just a few clicks…
Sign the open letter to the government here https://www.psna.nz/letter-to-winston-peters
Share the poster above for the Ōtautahi/Christchurch protest on social media and encourage everyone you know in Ōtautahi/Christchurch to come along!
Come along and support your local Palestine solidarity protests – see list above!
Take action to get six government MPs to support the Green Party “Occupation of Palestine” bill (see item below)
Just Six Government MPs Needed To Pass Unlawful Occupation Of Palestine Sanctions Bill
The Green Party are calling for six government MPs to support their “Occupation of Palestine Sanctions” bill to get the bill debated in parliament. The details are here.
We ask all our supporters to contact their closest government MPs and urge them to support the Green Party bill being debated in parliament. You can find your closest government MP here.
Last week the Labour Party here voted to support the bill. The announcement is here
RNZ report on ‘Israel/Palestine Issues’ is a whitewash
A former RNZ journalist has produced a whitewash report on RNZ’s coverage of the ‘sensitive’ Israel/Palestine Issues.
PSNA raised several complaints to RNZ back in June 2023 about persistent bias in RNZ coverage. For instance, RNZ neglects to call Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as ‘occupied’ and consistently favours using Israelis for interviews rather than Palestinians.
The RNZ response has just arrived, with some recommendations on how to improve its coverage. They amount to tweaks at best.
The report mocks Palestinian supporters’ complaints as being emotive and not knowing the rules, so it affectively congratulates RNZ on how few complaints are upheld.
The resulting recommendations are largely procedural in nature, and don’t address persistent and clear errors. For instance, the failure to refer to ‘occupied’ is not addressed.
The style guide TVNZ uses, in comparison, does require the use of the word ‘occupied’, though, more often than not, its reporters ignore their own rule.
The report wants RNZ to explain to its listeners how good its sources are. This is part of the problem with both TVNZ and RNZ, especially when they use BBC material.
The Zionist lobby in the UK is constantly critical of the BBC for its coverage, not because it is biased in favour of the Palestinians, but because the lobby wants to make it look like it is.
The lobby recently had a BBC documentary, ‘Gaza: how to survive a Warzone’ pulled, because its narrator was the son of the Hamas Deputy Agriculture Minister.
In the West, it is frequent for journalists to be closely related to politicians without any concerns at all ever being raised about their objectivity. When it comes to Palestinians however, the rules are quite different and the BBC capitulated accordingly.
PSNA will be responding to RNZ, but we are not holding our breath. NZ news agencies are deeply entrenched in ignoring and distorting the Global South. Gaza just happens to be the most notable present case.
The RNZ independent report can be found here and RNZ’s celebration of their report is here
Here’s some of the best commentary on the structural bias in NZ news and the agencies they rely on;
https://werewolf.co.nz/2023/12/gordon-campbell-on-the-skewed-media-coverage-of-gaza/
https://www.owenjones.news/p/the-bbc-in-civil-war-over-gaza-my
https://www.solidarity.co.nz/international-stories/it-is-time-to-de-demonise-hamas
Dr Samah Jabr to tour in late April
Dr Samah Jabr will be here in Aotearoa New Zealand for a few days in late April.
From Wikipedia: Samah Jabr (Arabic: سماح جبر, born 8 August 1976) is a Palestinian Jerusalemite psychiatrist, psychotherapist and writer. She has written columns about the psychological consequences of the Israeli occupation in Palestine since the 2000s. Inspired by anticolonial psychiatrist Frantz Fanon, her areas of interest include mental health, colonialism and universal human rights.
More information is in this Al Jazeera report.
More details of here visit will be in future newsletters.
Yousef Aljamal to tour in May
Yousef Aljamal is scheduled to visit Aotearoa from 1 May for a fortnight. He visited Aotearoa New Zealand a number of years ago.
Yousef Aljamal is the Gaza coordinator at the Palestine Activism Program at the American Friends Service Committee. Aljamal is a refugee from Palestine. He recently received his PhD at the Middle East Institute at Sakarya University in Turkey. He put together “If I Must Die,” an anthology of the writings of Dr. Refaat Alareer, his lecturer and close friend (OR Books).
Here's the details of Dr Refaat's book; https://ifimustdie.net/
We are organising a national tour for Yousef and will have more details in future newsletters.
New Zealand government silence at key stages of Gaza conflict “deafening”
What do you think of the PSNA newsletter?
We’d love your feedback so we can improve how we communicate with you on the most important human rights issue of the 21st century.
Keep spreading the message about the Genocide Hotline!
Remember possible action for local groups
For groups affiliated to PSNA we suggest the following actions could be taken at any time in support of this campaign
Asking your local backpacker accommodation to display the poster and draw it to the attention of any Israeli soldiers here on “rest and recreation” from the genocide.
Pasting the hotline poster (use the version in this newsletter which includes a contact email) around the vicinity of backpacker venues in your local area. This is already happening in some areas.
Hand out flyers to people in the vicinity of your local backpackers
Contact us on the hotline if you come across Israeli soldiers
Important stories from last week
Editor’s picks
Israel carrying out 'fastest starvation campaign in Gaza in modern history': UN envoy here
The forever wars may be over, but Trump is no peacemaker here
‘We’re not an agent of Israel’: Unpacking the growing daylight between the Trump administration and Israel here
UN inquiry verifies Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive violence; silence no longer an option here
Israel is Denying Doctors and International Aid Workers Entry to Gaza at Unprecedented Rates here
How Australian politicians and media were duped by criminal elements in a manufactured anti-Semitism crisis – A MUST READ here
‘A Dagger To The Heart’: BBC Credibility Nosedives Even Further here
Other stories
PSNA calls on government to condemn Israeli air strikes on Gaza here
Qatar calls for Israel’s nuclear facilities to be under IAEA supervision here
UNICEF: 90% of Palestinians in Gaza lack access to clean water here
Maersk campaign: Here's an action hub we put together that has all this info in it here
The war never ended for Palestinians in Gaza’s border areas here
Suspended for Pro-Palestine Speech: My statement on Yale Law School’s embrace of AI-generated smears here
EXCLUSIVE: Banned Yale Scholar Speaks Out After AI-Generated Accusations of Terror Ties here
Israel bars West Bank Palestinians from Al-Aqsa for second Ramadan Friday prayers here
Israeli settlers attack, burn West Bank village here
Israel holds 676 Palestinian bodies in ‘Cemeteries of Numbers’ and refrigerators here
Jewish Journalist EXPOSES Israel's DARK SECRET History - Everything you’ve been told about Israel is a lie here (video)
No apologies over fabricated terror plot from pollies or lobby groups here
Islamophobia is an invisible daily struggle for too many Australian Muslims here
Deadly Israeli strikes mar fragile Gaza truce here
Israel attacks Hamas ‘manipulation’ after it says ready to free Israeli-US hostage, four bodies here
Hamas offers to release one hostage and four bodies for further talks to end war, an offer Israel rejects here
BREAKING: Mahmoud Khalil Speaks With Attorneys for First Time Since Detention here
If Trump Can Deport Mahmoud Khalil, Freedom of Speech Is Dead here
New Gallup poll shows support for Israel at record low here
The Gaza Ceasefire Stalemate and the Case of Mahmoud Khalil: A discussion with Sami Al-Arian here
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.
SodaStream stickers now available
Reminder: Annual Dates for Palestine Solidarity
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.
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)