PSNA Newsletter No 68 - April 5 2022
5 Paenga-whāwhā 2022
5 April 2022
Newsletter No 68
“Our Vision for Liberation” webinar - Saturday 16 April
Two heavyweights on the situation in Palestine discuss their new book “Our Vision for Liberation”
To join the webinar, click: https://bit.ly/36Io4UH
Webinar ID: 840 7133
Live Streaming on:
https://www.facebook.com/Nakbaliberation
New Zealand Jewish Council survey says calling Israel an apartheid state is anti-semitic
Last week the New Zealand Jewish Council released the results of a survey of New Zealanders attitudes to anti-semitism.
However, what should have been a valuable insight into racist attitudes towards Jews in New Zealand became a farce when the survey labelled as anti-semitic anyone calling Israel an apartheid state or calling for boycotts of Israel.
The New Zealand Jewish Council sees its first priority not as looking after the welfare of the Jewish Community but using false smears of anti-semitism to try to deflect criticism of Israel.
It is a shameful survey.
The release of the survey report was given very sympathetic coverage on Stuff here but with no Palestinian voices to counter the anti-Palestinian racism which formed the basis of the survey. Unfortunately the New Zealand Jewish Council has often displayed deep-seated anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism as we have pointed out before.
Critics of the report were PSNA National Chair John Minto here, Marc Daalder from Newsroom here and Alternative Jewish Voices here
John pointed out the main problems with the survey:
The survey uses the highly problematic and controversial IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of anti-semitism, which has been used worldwide to shut down criticism of Israel using false smears of anti-semitism against those actively supporting Palestinian human rights.
So while the survey rightly identifies the belief that “Jews have too much power in international financial markets” as anti-semitic, it also claims as anti-semitic the belief that “Israel is an apartheid state”. This is verging on farcical.
According to the survey, 21 per cent of New Zealanders, myself included, believe Israel is an apartheid state.
This is in agreement with all major international human rights groups, the latest being Amnesty International which released its well-documented report entitled “Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: a cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity”, in February.
A recent survey in the US found 25 per cent of Jewish Americans believe Israel is an apartheid state (4 per cent more than New Zealanders!) and this figure rises to 38 per cent among young Jewish Americans.
Veteran activist and Palestine Solidarity Network chair John Minto disputes that challenging Israel’s polices towards Palestinians equates to anti-Semitism.
Are all these people and human rights organisations anti-semitic? Are the many Jews I’ve stood alongside at protests and demonstrations against Israeli apartheid also anti-semitic?
Even more importantly the trend is clear – the world’s patience with Israel’s 55-year military occupation of all Historic Palestine in running out.
Unfortunately, it appears the New Zealand Jewish Council is taking a King Canute stance – trying to hold back the international tide calling out Israeli policies as apartheid rather than accurately gauging anti-semitism in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ironically the survey shows more negative attitudes towards the Islamic community than the Jewish community. The biggest problem we have is with Islamophobia as the Christchurch terrorist attack indicated.
Unfortunately, the survey received funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Ethnic Communities. We have written an Official Information Act request to get more information on the decision to fund the survey and have asked if the Palestinian and Arab communities were consulted before such a disgraceful survey received government money.
Something you can do right now with a couple of clicks
Send an email to the Minister of Ethnic Communities, Priyanca Radhakrishnan saying how appalling it was to find a survey which seeks to undermine the Palestinian struggle.
You can write your own note or copy and paste this note.
Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities
Parliament buildings
Wellington
p.radhakrishnan@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Ms Radhakrishnan,
Funding for New Zealand Jewish Council Survey
We were very surprised to see reports indicating the Ministry of Ethnic Communities provided funding for a New Zealand Jewish Council Survey on anti-semitism in New Zealand which was based on the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) working definition of anti-semitism.
It is not acceptable that your Ministry would provide funding for a survey which condemns Palestinian strategies for liberation, such as BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), as anti-semitic.
Please explain what consultation took place with the Palestinian community of New Zealand before this funding was approved?
Please reply without unnecessary delay.
(your name)
Early notice: National Day of Action on Nakba Day Sunday 15 May
Sunday May 15 is Nakba Day – this is the day marking the ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and off their land by Israeli militias in 1948. For 74 years Israel has refused to allow them to return to their homes and land in Palestine despite dozens of United National resolutions requiring them to do so.
The Nakba has continued every day since 1948 as Israel seizes more Palestinian land and creates more Palestinian refugees every day.
We are holding a national day of action on Sunday 15 May day with events all around the country. We will have more details in the next newsletter once local details are organised.
Christchurch is first off the block with a rally and march to take place from the Bridge of Remembrance at 12 noon.
Auckland will rally at Aotea Square at 2:00 pm.
Up to 11 centres throughout New Zealand will be involved.
Watch this space or check out our Facebook events page for events throughout New Zealand here.
Recheck often as more centers are added.
The “apartheid in Israel” tide is swelling – Harvard Law School is the latest to call out Israeli racism and apartheid
Addameer (Palestinian prisoner support organisation) and the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School Sent a Joint Submission to the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel. Their submission calls out Israeli apartheid – more details here.
Reminder: In the last two years numerous important reports have identified Israeli policies as apartheid policies. Here is a quick summary of the main groups.
Palestinian Civil society organisations
The late South African Archbishop and Nobel Peace prize winner Desmond Tutu “Name Israel an apartheid state and boycott”
Yesh Din - The Occupation of the West Bank and the Crime of Apartheid: Legal Opinion
B’Tselem – Israel’s largest and most respected human right organisation, in their January 2021 report “A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid”
Human Rights Watch, the US largest human rights organisation, in their April 2021 report “A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution”
Amnesty International, in their February 2022 report “Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians”
Addameer and Harvard Law School label Israel an apartheid state
UN Special Rapporteur to the United Nations Human Right Council, Michael Lynk, Israel has imposed upon Palestine an apartheid reality in a post-apartheid world
Ramadan is just 2 weeks away. Break your fast on ethically sourced Palestinian Medjoul Dates
Don’t be tricked into buying Israeli dates from illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. Ethically sourced dates can be purchased from Preserved Identity here
Google – don’t punish workers for standing with Palestinians
Important stories from the Web
Churches Declare Christianity in The Holy Land is Under Threat from Jewish Extremists here
Palestinian Authority caught between the US and Russia on Ukraine here
Petition to Stop Australia selling arms to Israel here
Reimagining Palestinian health and Education here
The Green line is dead: What comes next? here
I know Israel practices apartheid: I helped enforce it here
Earthwise interviews with Israeli Historian Ilan Pappe and Palestinian author Ramzy Baroud here
Addameer and Harvard Law School label Israel an apartheid state Harvard Law School here
UN seminar on impact of forced displacements of Palestinian women – video of session here
Palestinian dispossession through the eyes of a mother – 3 min video here
Soldiers not allowed off shift till they have entered 50 Palestinians in database here
Stop Elbit Systems Campaign in Australia here
China denounces Israel’s illegal settlements and urges UN action here
Indifference to Ukraine suffering could be costly for Israel here
How Owen Jones learned to stop worrying and love Zionism here
International organisations’ academics call for sanctions on Israel here
Reminder: Dates for Palestine Solidarity in 2022
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 Naksa 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)
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 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 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)