PSNA Newsletter No 95 - May 9 2023
9 Haratua 2023
9 May 2023
Newsletter No 95
Kia ora koutou,
75th anniversary of the Nakba
International Day of action – this Saturday 13th May
Saturday 13 May is the international day of action marking the 75th anniversary of the Nakba (“catastrophe” in Arabic) which marks the ethnic cleansing of more than 700,000 Palestinians from their land and homes by Israeli militias in 1948. The Nakba continues today with ethnic cleansing, house demolitions and land theft across Palestine.
Marches and demonstrations will be held across the world and here in Aotearoa New Zealand, because we are close to the international dateline, we will be the first country to be taking action.
(Note: Nakba Day is actually on the Monday but to give more people the chance to take part it is being remembered around the world on Saturday 13 May)
You will find details of all the events around the country on our Facebook page here but some of the event posters are here.
Poster for Auckland's Memorial/Rally
You can find the link to the event here
Poster for Hawkes Bay’s “Liberation Cavalcade”
You can find the link to the event here
On 16 May at 12.15pm, Justice for Palestine are holding a rally at Parliament to hand over their Palestinian statehood recognition petition to Golriz Ghahraman MP.
You can find a link to the event here.
Poster for Christchurch’s Rally and March
Saturday 13 May 2023, 12 noon, Bridge of Remembrance
Rally and March - Protest the 75th anniversary of the Palestinian “Nakba” (catastrophe)
You can find the link to the event here.
Most events around the country are on our Facebook page here
Walled off – Film screening in Auckland for Nakba Day
Produced by Anwar Hadid, Roger Waters, Kweku Mandela, and Immortal Technique and directed by Vin Arfuso, Walled Off Hotel is a guesthouse established by the world-famous artist Banksy in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
The film takes an intimate look at the lives of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, and highlights the importance of creative resistance as a form of protest.
In telling the stories of individual Palestinians, the documentary explores the ways in which media coverage of the conflict perpetuates an inaccurate and biased narrative.
Through interviews with activists, politicians, and everyday citizens, the film offers an often unseen perspective on the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
The film ultimately seeks to challenge the mainstream media narrative of the occupation, and to bring to light the realities of life under military.
Details
6:30 pm
15th of May (Monday)
Entry is free, but koha is greatly appreciated
Get your FREE ticket here
Engineering Building (building 401, room 401), University of Auckland
Badil statement on 75th anniversary of the Nakba
Well worth reading this comprehensive statement on situation of Palestinian refugees to coincide with the Nakba anniversary. PSNA has signed the statement. Badil’s website can be seen here
Our first direct appeal for donations - $10,000 target
Thanks so much to everyone who made a donation towards this appeal in the last newsletter – it was very gratifying to receive the donations which often had words of thanks and encouragement. Thank You. We received close to $1500 so still have a way to go towards our target.
The easiest way to donate is to transfer your donation into our account and then email secretary@PSNA.nz for a receipt.
Our account name is: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK
Our account number is: 38-9015-0849542-00
Thank you for considering this appeal. We look forward to hearing from you.
Two things you can do now with just a few clicks…
Go to the PSNA facebook page here and select the Nakba Day event closest to you and promote it on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, other social media accounts
Consider making a donation to our $10,000 appeal – see the details directly above this item in the newsletter.
Nasser Mashni tour to Aotearoa New Zealand
We are delighted to announce a week-long tour of Aotearoa New Zealand by Australian-based Palestinian leader Nasser Mashni later this month.
This is the first in-person tour post Covid.
Nasser is the current President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, having served for the past 6 years as a committee member, Treasurer and Vice President.
Nasser is the son of a Palestinian refugee, resettled in Australia. He is a co-founder of Australians For Palestine and a founding board member of Olive Kids – The Australian Foundation for Palestinian Children.
Nasser has been a guest on various government and commercial TV and radio networks and written for a number of news outlets. He produces a weekly radio show and podcast called Palestine Remembered that is broadcast on Australia’s Community Network stations.
With his father’s legacy in mind, Nasser is determined to continue the struggle for justice and a free Palestine.
Two links with more biographical details are here:
https://immigrationplace.com.au/story/shaher-abu-nasser-mashni/
https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/shaher-hussein-el-mashni-abu-nasser
We will have full details of his visit in the next newsletter but public events are being organised in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland.
His first public event is in Dunedin:
Another BDS victory – Doc Edge abandons Israeli Embassy sponsorship
PSNA media release 28 April 2023:
The Doc Edge Film Festival as abandoned Israeli Embassy sponsorship this year after a furore caused by such sponsorship last year.
“We are very pleased to chalk this up as a success”, says John Minto, National Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. “This is a win for the international BDS campaign against apartheid Israel” (BDS – boycott, divestment and sanctions – against Israel has been a Palestinian-led campaign since 2005)
Earlier this year PSNA wrote to all the Doc Edge festival sponsors urging them to ensure the 2023 festival was an “apartheid-free zone”. We told them it would be highly provocative for the festival to receive money from the Israeli Embassy particularly given the strident anti-Palestinian policies of the new far-right Israeli leadership.
“It seems Doc Edge is following the policy of the Sydney Festival which was thrown into turmoil in January last year over its sponsorship by the Israeli Embassy” says John Minto. Sydney has since abandoned foreign sponsorship and Doc Edge has done the same this year.
Doc Edge claimed last year that it was “apolitical” but is untrue. Festival organisers tweeted in support of the people of Ukraine under Russian invasion and occupation but has never tweeted in support of Palestinians living under Israel’s military occupation.
“Just as this country campaigned to help end apartheid in South Africa through boycotts, we are doing the same to help end Israel’s apartheid policies. We will remain vigilant”
And yet another victory for BDS
The Palestinian-led campaign for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel has chalked up another victory with the cancellation of entertainer Sam Smith’s concert in Tel Aviv.
The statement from PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) statement sums the importance of this outcome:
Palestinians warmly welcome the news that Sam Smith will not be performing in apartheid Israel, and avoiding artwashing or pinkwashing Israel’s oppression against Palestinians.
Palestinian civil society organizations, including queer and trans groups, had called on Smith to “keep inspiring those struggling against all forms of racism and discrimination by cancelling your performance in apartheid Israel” until Palestinians can enjoy freedom, justice and equal rights.
Aswat – Palestinian Feminist Center for Gender and Sexual Freedoms co-founder Ghadir Shafie had said in a letter to Sam Smith that performing in Israel “despite intentions, helps prop up the false image of Israel as a modern, democratic society…It may sound benign, but it is what allows Israel to continue its wholesale theft of Palestinian life, land, and dignity.”
More than 11,000 people had signed a petition urging Sam Smith to cancel their performance in Tel Aviv and “stand in solidarity with Palestinian queers and all Palestinians fighting for their human rights and dignity.”
On social media, queer and trans groups have echoed the Palestinian call using the hashtag #SamDontGo. In a widely circulated Tiktok video, queer Palestinian fan @jakegyllenhalal reminded Smith that they can’t “keep their business clean” in a place “where people are stripped of their rights simply for being who they are.”
Inside and out of Sam Smith’s concerts at the O2 in London “Queers for a Free Palestine” called on Smith to withdraw from the Summer in the City festival in Israel.
US metal band Papa Roach, which was initially listed as the opening act for Sam Smith, confirmed in March that it would not be performing at the festival. The second day of the two day festival has been entirely cancelled as a result.
We call on all remaining performers to withdraw from the Summer in the City festival in apartheid Israel, and to join thousands of artists worldwide in endorsing our nonviolent struggle for human rights.
- Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
When the Israeli ambassador came to lunch…
When the Israeli ambassador Ran Yaakoby came to Christchurch for a quite luncheon to celebrate 75 years since Israel declared independence, he was met by a dedicated Palestine solidarity protest group.
Ran wanted to say what a marvellous country Israel is but the protest reminded everyone attending that they were in effect celebrating 75 years of racism, apartheid and brutality against Palestinians.
Ran’s black Mercedes was put off by the protest and drove 200m past the venue and waited till police reinforcements arrived before being escorted into the venue.
As we said is our media release:
The pro-Israel lobby kept the venue secret to try to avoid protest action and were caught by surprise when Palestine solidarity protestors arrived well before the lunch.
The event was held outside Christchurch at 1pm (venue: Langdale Winery, 161 Langdales Rd, West Melton).
The Israeli ambassador slunk into the venue half an hour after the advertised time.
“We were not surprised to see a sad trickle of older people attended the lunch – clear evidence of the dwindling support for the apartheid state” says John Minto, National Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.
“The New Zealand public generally, and younger generations in particular, are turning away from Israel. They are no longer accepting Israeli propaganda as they once did”
“Meanwhile support for Palestinians against Israeli apartheid is gaining momentum here and internationally, despite the leadership of western governments mouthing platitudes supporting Israel”.
BDS action outside the Israeli ambassador’s lunch
Raising important issues outside the Israeli ambassador’s lunch
And here he is – the Israeli ambassador himself – watch out for him around Aotearoa New Zealand – if you hear of any planned appearances or speaking engagements please contact us urgently: Email apartheid-Israel@PSNA.nz or text 027 4 APARTHEID or 027427278
Israeli ambassador Ran Yaakoby
Palestine Solidarity action around the country recently
Last weekend Christchurch activists took to two major intersections with flags and placards to promote the Nakba Day rally and march in the city on Saturday 13th May. There was overwhelming support for the activists with large numbers honking their horns as they passed.
In action on a corner across from Hagley Park
Monthly Palestine solidarity rally outside Auckland’s Britomart on 6 May
The Palestinian poster set up in a church venue (If you want a set please contact secretary@PSNA.nz)
Posters up around Christchurch
Dreadful media reporting of Khader Adnan’s death on hunger strike
We issued this media release on 3 May marking the death of Khader Adnan in an Israeli prison and calling out the New Zealand media.
Khader Adnan died on hunger strike protesting his detention without trial
Palestinian resistance leader Khader Adnan died after an 87-day hunger strike in an Israeli prison protesting his detention without trial and the arbitrary nature of the allegations against him.
Adnan was being held under Israeli “administrative detention” whereby Palestinians are arrested and held without charge or trial for long periods in Israeli prisons.
This alleged “leader of this Islamic Jihad” has never been convicted, in fact he has never been indicted. Still, he was arbitrarily held in an Israeli prison for eight years cumulatively.
There are currently more than 1000 Palestinians in administrative detention.
“It’s not acceptable that New Zealand media reporting has either reported without the crucial administrative detention context or has ignored Khader Adnan’s death” says John Minto, National Chair of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.
“Our government and media are keen to condemn detention without trial and impossibly-high conviction rates under authoritarian regimes overseas but we keep giving Israel a free pass”.
The poor reporting simply means the apartheid state does not have to answer to:
Why “the only democracy in the Middle East” keeps Palestinians in prison without charge or trial?
Why has the number of Palestinians in prison without charge or trial increased to over 1000 – the highest level in two decades?
Why are Palestinians living under occupation subject to Israeli military rule while Israelis are under a civilian judicial system?
Why is the conviction rate for Palestinians in Israeli military courts is over 99% (99.74% in 2012 – the latest reported figure) - higher than any other repressive regime anywhere in the world?
All this is critical context for New Zealanders to understand what is helping drive violence in Palestine.
Targeting Palestinian University students in the occupied West Bank – Law for Palestine report
This report represents a unique effort to combine interviews with prisoners, military orders, and indictments, all put into broader context to expose how Palestinian university students are targeted by Israel as a means of eroding their national identity and consolidating Israeli colonialism. This report will serve as a valuable resource for university students worldwide, both current and former, to gain a better understanding of the unimaginable challenges faced by Palestinian students.
University life is meant to be a time of experimentation, enthusiasm, vitality, and an exploration of the meaning and beauty of life, and this report sheds light on the obstacles that Palestinian students must overcome to pursue their academic aspirations.
A summary of the report can be found here: https://bit.ly/3AAnCmt, and the full report can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3HgG6ME
Farewell Jack Woodward, stalwart of the struggle
A page from the Quaker funeral service for Jack picturing him at a Palestine solidarity rally
We were saddened to hear last month of the death of 96-year-old Jack Woodward who was a stalwart of the Palestinian struggle for human rights. Jack and his late wife Mary were a principled pairing – speaking out on issues such as of nuclear disarmament back in the 1950s, to apartheid in South Africa and Palestine.
PSNA has expressed its condolences to the family and Janfrie Wakim from the Palestine Human Rights Organisation spoke at Jack’s service about his commitment to human rights for Palestinians over many decades.
“The Palestine Laboratory” – important new book by Antony Loewenstein
This important new book by Australian writer Antony Loewenstein is coming out next month and we hope to have Antony over here promoting his book in the next couple of months. In the meantime here are three internationally-renowned endorsements for the book.
‘This is a must-read on a hidden and shocking aspect of the Israeli colonisation of the Palestinians. This book shows clearly that this kind of export is now Israel’s most significant contribution to the global violation of human rights.’
Ilan Pappe, author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and Ten Myths About Israel
‘A triumph of investigative journalism. It exposes the ruthlessness with which Israel exploits the experience gained from the illegal occupation to export all kinds of military hardware as well as the technology of surveillance, espionage, cyber warfare, phone-hacking, and house demolition. It also shines a torch on the dark side of Israel’s support for despots around the world. Altogether, a profoundly depressing audit on a country that used to boast of being “a light unto the nations”.’
Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and author of The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab world
‘A sad and sordid record of how “the light unto the nations” became the purveyor of the means of violence and brutal repression from Guatemala to Myanmar and wherever else the opportunity arose.’
Noam Chomsky
More details of the book can be read here and all reviews so far can be found here.
Is your property an “apartheid free zone”?
These are popping up on letterboxes and fences all over the country – to get your “Apartheid free zone” coreflute to stick on your letterbox or your front fence just deposit $5 in:
Account Name: Palestine Solidarity Network
Account Number: 38 9015 0849542 00
and send an email to secretary@PSNA.nz with your address and we’ll send you one - or as many as you’d like for your neighbours and friends….
Petition to Close the Israeli Embassy
If you haven’t signed our petition to close the Israeli embassy yet…
Scan and Sign here
Or Click and Sign here
Important stories from the Web
The sham trial of Hassan Diab here
General
Foreign Affairs magazine lays down the facts about Israeli apartheid and Jewish supremacy here
Israel and Palestine – let’s talk about it here (video on Twitter)
A democratic Sudan will NOT want to normalize relations with Israel here
Palestine
Palestinians overwhelmingly support armed struggle to end occupation here
Khader Adnan: Veteran Palestinian hunger striker and fierce anti-occupation activist here
Martyrdom of Khader Adnan after 86 days of hunger strike latest target of the Zionist assassination policy here
Teaching post-colonial texts in Palestine here
United Nations
Israel: UN rapporteur target of 'smear campaign' for denouncing occupation here
Israeli politics
Even as they protest, Israeli liberals reject solidarity with Palestinians here
Israel’s Nation-State law reflects the failure of Zionism here (paywalled)
Israel’s fault lines and the loss of a Jewish humanity here
Israeli brutality
Israel’s home invasions of Palestinian homes in the dead of night here (Al Jazeera video report)
B’Tselem report: “Parched: Israel’s policy of water deprivation in the West Bank” here
Amnesty International report: “Israel: the global vanguard of totalitarianism” here
Israel demolishes Palestinian Village of Al Araqeeb for 216th time here
The Shin Bet and Israeli Prison Service wanted Khader Adnan to die here
Wolf Pack: Israel's accelerated use of facial recognition is ‘automated apartheid' here
United States
White House officials know Israel is an apartheid state but they can’t say so here
IHRA bill fails in Georgia, again here
Senator urges release of new US report on killing of Shireen Abu Akleh here
Betty McCollum reintroduces bill prohibiting US aid from aiding Israeli human rights abuses here
US bipartisan legislation expands efforts to cancel BDS efforts here
University of Denver criticized for violating Middle-Eastern scholar’s academic freedom here
US silence on Israeli nuclear weapons and the right-wing Israeli government here
Israel woos senior Republicans while White House continues to snub Netanyahu here
New poll says 44% of democrats say Israel is a state with segregation similar to apartheid here
Bipartisan lovefest for Israel out of touch with US public here
BDS
Palestine Action announces siege on Israeli weapons factory in Leicester here
City of Liege votes to boycott the state of Israel here
Reminder: Dates for Palestine Solidarity in 2023
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 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)