PSNA Newsletter No 71 - May 24 2022
24 Haratua 2022
24 May 2022
Newsletter No 71
Kia ora koutou,
The two big issues for this newsletter are the murder of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the Israeli regime’s plans for the largest ethnic cleansing of Palestinians since 1967.
Israel’s apartheid regime is acting with complete impunity because countries like Aotearoa New Zealand refuse to call them out. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and MFAT officials are acting in a spineless and racist fashion.
If Jews were being murdered anywhere in the world and being ethnically cleansed from their homes and land our government would, quite rightly, condemn such actions as anti-semitic and impose sanctions on those responsible.
We expect the same respect and action for Palestinians.
1) The murder of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Israel says it will not investigate Shireen’s killing because they fear a backlash from right-wing Israelis. The regime attitude is best summed up by an Israeli military spokesperson who said Shireen and her colleague Ali al-Samudi, who was shot in the back, were
“armed with cameras, if you will permit me to say that.”
Israeli human rights group Yesh Din sums up the situation like this:
“the army law enforcement mechanisms no longer even bother to give the appearance of investigating. Eighty percent of the complaints that are submitted are dismissed without a criminal investigation. It appears that politics and image count for more than truth and justice. An army that investigates itself in such a serious case as this again proves that it is incapable or unwilling to undertake a fair and effective probe.”
The Aotearoa New Zealand government issued a pitiful tweet which didn’t even mention Israeli state forces.
2) The largest ethnic cleansing of Palestinians since 1967
The Israeli regime is planning its largest ethnic cleansing operation against Palestinians since 1967 in Masafer Yatta. This mass eviction of Palestinians has been described by United Nations human rights experts as a breach of international humanitarian and human rights law.
Israeli actions such as this occur because Israel is not held to account by countries like Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s time we did.
Aotearoa New Zealand supporters can join the letter-writing campaign for Masafer Yatta here
Action you can take now with a couple of clicks…
Copy and paste this email into a message to the Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minister of Foreign Affairs
n.mahuta@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Ms Mahuta,
You have been in the role of Foreign Minister for 20 months now and your reaction to Israel’s occupation and brutal oppression of Palestinians has been either invisible or ineffective.
Aotearoa New Zealand is bigger than this and if you are unable to reflect our values on the international stage you should not be in the role.
Three actions by you are urgent:
Speak out in condemnation of the murder of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by the Israeli regime and the vicious, brutal attack on her pall bearers and mourners. Israel says it will not investigate – speak out for an independent United Nations investigation.
Speak out against Israel’s planned largest ethnic cleansing of Palestinians since 1967 – in Masafer Yatta. UN human rights experts have appealed to the international community to act. That means us.
Speak out against the flagrant breach of international law with the Israeli regime’s approval of the building of 4,500 additional homes in illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
If Jews were being treated like this you would, quite rightly, speak out as you have done over the Russian invasion and occupation of Ukraine. We expect you to do the same for Palestinians.
Please respond without delay.
(name)
NAKBA Day 2022 review
Thanks to all supporters who turned out around the country last weekend for Nakba Day events. The turnouts were excellent even in places like Christchurch where the weather was very cold, windy and wet.
Palestinian flag flying at New Plymouth City Council on Nakba Day 2022
This year we approached parliament and City Councils around the country to fly the Palestinian flag on Nakba Day. New Plymouth Council raised the flag – see picture above.
Most councils however consulted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who advised strongly against doing so “because it might cause offence to the Israeli embassy or the Israeli community here”. There was no consideration from these officials for the deep offence this would cause to Palestinian New Zealanders.
In Wellington the mayor told us they had no flagpole and so couldn’t fly the flag. PSNA contacted Wellington city councillors to see if they could find an alternative and councillor Tamatha Paul arranged for the Michael Fowler Centre to be lit up in the colours of the Palestinian flag. However MFAT called the mayor and advised against it so the mayor vetoed the arrangement – a story which was on the front page of the Wellington’s Dompost newspaper.
Front Page of the Dompost last week
Justice for Palestine activists ignored the mayor’s ban and lit up Te Papa with the Palestinian flag and the picture of murdered Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Justice for Palestine activists light up Te Papa
The Auckland rally was attended by more than 300 people even though it rained on and off. The Palestinian flag, which the Mayor of Auckland had Refused to fly, was wide spread throughout the crowd.
Particularly moving was the visual tribute to Murdered Palestinian Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
You can watch the whole event here
Call for New Zealand speak up
During the Nakba day event in Auckland, Professor Nicholas Row called on the New Zealand government, church leaders, artists and academics to speak up.
Nick had personally met Palestinian Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and condemned the Cowardice of an Israeli soldier who killed her, the military which backs him and the Silence of Politicians around the world which allow the Israeli Abuse of Palestinians to continue unabated. You can watch his moving tribute to Shireen Abu Akleh here.
The text of his speech is this:
Kia ora Koutou
Shireen, was a sister
Shireen was an Auntie
Shireen has a family who now feels a great loss at her absence.
Shireen has a close circle of friends who similarly share in that loss and miss her right now.
Shireen has many colleagues who feel buoyed and had great support and encouragement and are encouraged to go on because of Shireen. They had high respect for her. High esteem and admiration. There is now an absence for them in that leadership.
Shireen also lived in a community. She is someone who would dance at your wedding. Walking through the snow, she would look up and smile. She was part of a small society.
Shireen, as you all know, is a leader. For Palestine and for the world in journalism presenting the truth. And throughout all these dimensions of Shireen, she is known for her courage and her bravery. As she died, in the last hours and moments of her life, exhibiting that bravery.
That bravery stands in stark contrast to the soldier who pulled the trigger. A Cowardly little boy with his gun. The Israeli soldier who decided at that moment to end Shireen’s life. Her courage and her bravery stands in stark contrast with the Cowardice of the military unit that that soldier belongs to. And will help keep it covered up.
That Courage and Bravery of Shireen stands again in stark contrast to the Israeli police officers who use their batons to beat her mourners and desecrate her funeral.
Now. Those soldiers and those police officers are not cowards because they are soldiers and police officers, and that they use weapons that others don’t have. They are Cowards because they know that they are not accountable for their actions. They know that they live in a state of exception. They are cowards because they know they can get away with this. That nobody will do anything about it and that is what emboldens their actions. Because the Israeli government will never hold them accountable for their actions. And that is what emboldens the Israeli Government. That state of exception. The idea that the rest of the world will not hold it accountable for its actions.
So how do we stop this?
We can look a bit closer to home. To our own politicians, our own government which for too long her been silent. And said nothing. As our current foreign minister remains silent and says nothing and does not condemn them. This exception.
<calls of shame from the crowd>
We can look at our business leaders who have their contracts with Israel. And justify this and rationalise this under the name of economic prosperity. And yet remain silent now. And maintain this state of exception, for Israel, when they would otherwise happily pull out and say we will boycott this space.
We can also look at our preachers and priests who can stand in their pulpits who can talk about redemption and the rapture and use some biblical fantasy as a rationalisation as to why Israel should be an exception. And they use this to try to rationalise why Israel should not be held accountable to the same laws we expect all humanity.
And we can all look at academics, our artists, our journalists who collaborate with Israel. Who write and take empathy and sympathy and speak out and make it look glossy and beautiful.
This is their moment to condemn.
On this day.
At this hour.
In memory of Shireen.
And in the face of the evidence against them.
This is the moment to say No! No more exceptionalism.
We condemn this actions.
This is a call to you as politicians. As preachers in your pulpits. Artists and Academics who might have ever once said something to defend, and protect Israel. And maintain its state of exception.
Now.
On this day.
At this hour in memory of Shireen.
In front of this evidence.
Now is your moment to condemn.
I am waiting for your words. . .
I am waiting for our leaders, to express these words. . .
Silence.
Not a word.
No.
And that silence. . . Is oppression!
That silence is Complicity!
That silence is Cowardice!
<clapping. Chant from the crowd - From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Free free Palestine.>
And that silence, ultimately is condemnation.
Condemnation for all Palestinians to suffer the same state, and the same experience because they wish to maintain the same state of exception for Israel.
Thank you.
We can all take action when we see Israeli atrocities. We can write to our politicians as we have asked in the request at the top of this newsletter.
We all have a Local MP. You can find their contact details here.
Ministers run departments which interface with Israel like Foreign Affairs, Immigration, Agriculture, etc. You can find the relevant ministry and controlling Minister’s contact details here.
Our Vision for Liberation
This is an outstanding book which documents what liberation looks like from Palestinian viewpoints.
A book review by Christchurch-based Lois Griffiths is here
It is presented by outstanding Palestinian author and activist Ramzy Baroud (who toured Aotearoa New Zealand several years back) and renowned Israeli historian Ilan Pappe. It is a not-to-be-missed publication!
We have purchased 50 copies for PSNA supporters and we are selling these at $35 per copy to cover our costs. To get your copy simply deposit $35 in our bank account here:
Account name: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-00
And then email secretary@PSNA.nz with your address and we will get your copy in the mail! Looking forward to hearing from you!
In conversation with Michael Lynk
Michael Lynk has just stood down as United National Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He did a fantastic job in promoting support for Palestinian human rights and in his last report he called out Israel for its apartheid policies against Palestinians.
You can register for the event here.
Important stories from the Web
Israel will not investigate the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh here
Shireen Abu Akleh and Israeli propaganda here
The Nakba doesn’t disappear down under here
The imperial curse that continues to haunt the Middle East here
Israeli forces use Palestinian girl as human shield here
Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism here
Canadian agency rules “produce of Israel” label violates Canadian law here
Israel’s policy “Kill the messenger and attack the mourners” here
Israel’s police are storm troopers 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)