PSNA Newsletter No 49 - June 22, 2021
22 June 2021
Newsletter No 49
Kia ora PSNA Supporter
Last week we saw the ugly face of deep-seated racism within the New Zealand Jewish Council. At the government’s counter-terrorism hui in Christchurch Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses did her best to try to link Palestine solidarity protests with support for terrorism, leading to a walkout by members of the Muslim community.
The question is not why she tried to do this – the pro-Israel lobby has always tried to smear the Palestine solidarity movement – but why was she invited as a main speaker at the counter-terrorism summit in the first place while the Christchurch victims of the terrorist attack were not included in the panel of speakers.
Something you can do right now!
Email Andrew Little, the minister responsible for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques, and ask him why a known apologist for anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism was included in the counter-terrorism hui which the victims were effectively excluded. You can either send your own message or copy and paste the letter below:
Minister - Andrew Little
(date)
Andrew Little
Minister for Government Response to March 15 Terrorist Attacks
a.little@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Mr Little,
Anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism in the New Zealand Jewish Council
I was surprised to see the government include New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses as a main speaker at the counter-terrorism hui in Christchurch last week while the victims of the terrorist attacks, including many Arab and Palestinian families were not included.
Juliet Moses has identified herself as an apologist for repugnant anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism when she refuses to criticise her fellow Jewish Council member David Cumin who approvingly quotes former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir
“there can only be peace when the Arabs start to love their children more than they hate us”
It was no surprise that Moses tried to link Palestine solidarity protests with support for terrorism at the hui because the pro-Israel lobby has been using false smears of anti-Semitism against the Palestine solidarity movement for many decades. As she showed at the hui, Juliet Moses is tone deaf to Islamophobia, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism.
I would like to know why and how the decision was made to include Juliet Moses as a speaker.
I would also like an assurance the government will seek a public apology from Moses for her refusal to condemn anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism before including her or Jewish Council representatives in future government hui in response to the terrorist attacks.
I’m keen to hear from you without unnecessary delay.
Regards,
(name)
40th anniversary of the 1981 Springbok Tour
Here is the final poster for PSNA Chair John Minto’s national tour to coincide with the anniversary of the protests against the 1981 Springbok rugby tour.
The poster has details of the 15 meetings around the country. Please circulate this poster to family and friends via email and social media.
Ambulances Appeal for Gaza – please donate if you can
After the savage 11-day heavy bombardment of Gaza, the killing of 256 Palestinians, including 66 children there is a desperate need for medical supplies to Gaza. Kia Ora Gaza are co-ordinating the fundraising here in New Zealand.
Please donate now with a direct payment to our bank account: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, 03-0211-0447718-000, Westpac Bank. Afterwards, email office@kiaoragaza.net with your deposit details so we can send you an e-receipt.
More details are here on the Kia Ora Gaza website
Napier solidarity protest last weekend
Israeli Prime Minister-in-Waiting Naftali Bennett and his Yamina Party partner-in-racism Ayelet Shaked
Bad weather is no deterrence for Napier activists taking the Palestine Solidarity message to the people of Hawkes Bay last weekend.
Fundraising artworks by Nour Hassan
Verona Café, Karangahape Road, Auckland 3/4 July
See here.
Close the Israeli Embassy
Remember our campaign to close the Israeli embassy in Wellington.
1) Sign the petition to close the Israeli embassy. The petition is on-line here and is in English and Arabic or use the QR code here.
2) Share the petition on social media – the FB event link is here.
Solidarity with Palestine by Artists, Cultural Workers and Scholars of Aotearoa New Zealand
Remember to please help circulate this statement of solidarity with Palestine. It is aimed particularly at Artists, Cultural Workers and Scholars.
They can read and sign on to the statement at this link.
This has been organised by Dr Rand T Hazou, Senior Lecturer in Theatre, School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communication, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Massey University
Donations still needed for the Gaza Centre for Human Rights which has been targeted and destroyed by Israel
Since we publicized this appeal in our last newsletter over $8,000 has been donated – we’d love to get over $14,000 to help the center get on its feet again and collect evidence for war crimes prosecutions from the latest Israeli outrages.
Can you make a donation? – account details are below
Here is the background to the appeal from our last newsletter:
The offices of the Gaza Centre for Human Rights have been targeted and destroyed by a missile from an Israeli fighter jet.
New Zealander Julie Webb-Pullman has been working for the Centre for several years as an international expert on gathering evidence of Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. (Julie is currently waiting to return to Gaza after being delayed in New Zealand through Covid 19)
GCHR offices destroyed by Israeli missiles
So far the Centre, under Julie’s guidance, has sent over 2,000 claims of war crimes relating to Israel’s attack on Gaza in 2014 and its targeting the Great March of Return protests in March 2018.
Earlier this year the International Criminal Court made the formal announcement that they are opening an investigation into allegations of grave Israeli breaches of International Humanitarian Law. Israel is furious and has tried to stop the investigation.
Now Israel has seized the opportunity to hit back with missiles from an Israeli fighter jet.
The Centre is making an appeal for funds to get back up and running and PSNA is coordinating fundraising here.
People can donate to:
Account name: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-02 (Please put GCHR in the reference)
Or click here.
This is a message from Julie describing the photo and the damage.
I would really appreciate it if you could also appeal for funds for Gaza Centre for Human Rights - our offices were directly targeted and destroyed a few days ago. We need to replace printers, photocopiers, furniture etc.
Our electronic backup files are safe, but all of the original documents have been destroyed.
Attached is a picture of the destruction - our offices were on the third floor, the translators' office is the one with the blue wall, my office is at the front. Was.
Like almost every building in Gaza, it is a mixed residential and office tower.
We expect the New Zealand media will report on this and the government will condemn outright this bombing of a human rights organisation.
Dances with Death
“New Zealand-based Palestinian Tuma Hazou’s book – “Dances with Death” – which we have previously promoted in the newsletter, has been nominated for the Palestine Book Awards in 2021. Congratulations Tuma – we will keep you posted on developments!
Some good reading
Palestine Solidarity: Tui Motu News: Land & People crying for Justice, Solidarity and Action
The article can be downloaded as a pdf here
Petition – No More Weapons for Israel
Colonialism: The myths of British imperial benevolence and Palestine
Amnesty International Petition: People seeking Asylum should be welcomed, not imprisoned
A two-page summary of the issues is here
“As the bombs fall, I write” – the poets of Gaza
Edward Said biography – reviewed here
Israel’s ultra-orthodox go into opposition – furious with new Israeli Pm Naftali Bennett
The Israel hasbara (propaganda/public relations) machine is attempting to sanitize Naftali Bennett’s “I killed many Arabs” quote
Are you able to donate a cup of coffee a month to the campaign?
We will need some serious money to make our campaign as effective as possible. For example, we will need somewhere in the vicinity of $25,000 to bring speakers to New Zealand over the next year and organise large public meetings to help spread the message.
You can help. Are you able to donate a cup of coffee a month to the campaign? In other words, can you afford to make an automatic payment of $5 per month to support the Palestinian struggle? (If you can afford more that would be great!)
Our account details are:
Account name: Palestine Solidarity Network
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-00
We are happy to provide a receipt upon request (however, we are not a registered charity so this is not tax-deductible)
In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter – an invitation to subscribe from Leslie Bravery
Because of mainstream news media complicity, daily headlines and commentary only occasionally ever mention the relentless Israeli violence in Palestine, not even the frequent air strikes!
However, daily news and statistics regarding the violence Palestinians are forced to live under are regularly reported on in the “In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter”, sourced and compiled for easy reading and correlation chiefly from the Palestinian Monitoring Group's daily situation reports.
The In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter continues to be circulated, by email, worldwide to subscribers only, as it has been over the last two decades.
Please contact lesliebravery@icloud.com if you also wish to become a subscriber.
Merchandise for sale
We have Merchandise you can buy including T-shirts from our website.
Go here - https://www.psna.nz/shop
More ways you can get involved
Forward this Newsletter – If you know people who may be interested in this movement, please forward this Newsletter to them.
Join in local activities in your area monthly Rallies - In Auckland at 2.00 pm on the first Saturday of every month. Please consider doing the same in your community. Contact Secretary@PSNA.nz if you would like to know where and how to get Flags and Banners
Help set up a Students for Justice in Palestine groups on your campus
Tell Your MP your opinions on Divestment and Sanctions of Israel.
Write Letters to Newspapers – Call Talkback Radio
Keep in touch with the campaign on social media
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network website: https://www.PSNA.nz
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/671376706283605/
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network email: Secretary@PSNA.nz
The Palestine Human Rights Campaign produces the In Occupied Palestine newsletter. It is a regular daily newsletter on the daily situation in Palestine, compiled by Leslie Bravery and emailed to subscribers. If you would also like to become a subscriber, please contact Leslie at “lesliebravery @ icloud .com” (remove the spaces to use as an email address) for further information.
Keep Updated on our Facebook pages and websites (listed below)
Human rights for Uyghur refugees - In line with our support for human rights for the people of Palestine we have added our name to the petition in support of human rights for Uyghur refugees so they can be included in the government’s refugee quota. PSNA members who wish to also sign this petition can do so here - https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/open-letter-let-s-show-compassion-to-the-uyghur-community
PSNA Groups
PSNA National Committee
Website: www.PSNA.nz
Chair - John Minto: Chair@PSNA.nz
Secretary - Neil Scott: Secretary@PSNA.nz
Regional Groups
Bay of Islands PSNA Bay of Islands (Email)
Whangarei PSNA Whangarei (Facebook)
Auckland PSNA 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 PSNA Palmerston North (Email)
New Plymouth PSNA New Plymouth (Email)
Wellington PSNA Wellington (Email)
Nelson Te Tau Ihu (Nelson) Palestine (Facebook)
Christchurch PSNA Christchurch (Facebook)
Dunedin Dunedin for Justice in Palestine (Facebook)
Invercargill PSNA Invercargill (Email)