PSNA Newsletter No 99 - July 4 2023
4 Hōngongoi 2023
4 July 2023
Newsletter No 99
Kia ora koutou,
Details are finalised for the public meetings for Antony Loewenstein’s tour to Aotearoa New Zealand this month.
PSNA is delighted to be hosting Antony with the PACC (Palestinians in Aotearoa Co-ordinating Committee) He has done a number of high-profile media interviews already which will appear before he arrives here and this will help ensure his message gets to a wider audience.
His latest book is “The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports The Technology Of Occupation Around The World”, released in 2023. Published by Verso in the US + UK and Scribe in Australia + New Zealand, the book is a global investigation into Israel’s endless occupation which gives the Jewish state invaluable experience in controlling an ‘enemy’ population, the Palestinians. It’s here that they have perfected the architecture of control, using the occupied Palestinian territories as a testing ground for weaponry and surveillance technology that they then export around the world. The book is endorsed by Noam Chomsky, Ilan Pappe, Avi Shlaim, Gideon Levy, Eyal Weizman and others.
His other books include My Israel Question, The Blogging Revolution, Disaster Capitalism: Making A Killing Out Of Catastrophe and Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs.
His films include Disaster Capitalism and the Al Jazeera English films West Africa’s Opioid Crisis and Under the Cover of Covid.
A recent opinion piece written by Antony was published in the Sydney Morning Herald here https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-may-13-edition-20230405-p5cygt.html
(More background on Antony’s book later in this newsletter)
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Something you can do now with just a few clicks…
You can help promote Antony’s meeting by posting a link to the FB events listed below onto your own FB and other social media accounts. Circulate to family and friends and encourage them to come along to your closest meeting to hear Antony and buy a copy of his new book – signed in person of course!
If you are not quite sure how to do this. Just right click on the poster and select “copy”. Then right click on your social media page and click “paste”.
The event pages for Antony’s tour are here:
Monday 17th July in Christchurch
Public meeting 7pm
Knox Centre, Cnr Bealey Avenue & Victoria street, Christchurch (books for sale)
Tuesday 18th July in Wellington
Public meeting 7pm
St Andrews on the Terrace, 30 The Terrace (books for sale)
Wednesday 19th July in Hawkes Bay
Public meeting 8pm
Greenmeadows Community Hall, 83 Tait Drive, Napier (books for sale)
Thursday 20th July in Auckland
Public Meeting 7pm
The Fickling Centre, 546 Mt Albert Road (books for sale)
Women’s Football World Cup has two PUMA-sponsored teams
The Women’s Football World Cup – from July 20 to August 20 – is being hosted by Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Unfortunately, two of the women’s teams competing – Switzerland and Morocco – are sponsored by PUMA and because it is being held in Australian and New Zealand, these two host teams are also enjoying huge sponsorship from PUMA.
PACBI (Palestine Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) spells out the issues here:
PUMA continues to lie, saying it has nothing to do with Israeli apartheid.
But PUMA continues to partner with the Israel Football Association, which governs and advocates for maintaining teams in illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land. Israeli settlements are illegal land grabs forcing Palestinians from their homes.
BDS campaigns have forced major corporations, like G4S, that are complicit in Israeli apartheid and a litany of human rights abuses around the world to end ties with Israeli apartheid.
What’s stopping self-proclaimed “progressive” PUMA from following suit?
The boycott campaign is growing. Last month there were protests inside, outside and online during PUMA’s shareholders meeting. PUMA’s CEO was so rattled he said “BDS” by mistake as he was talking about the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in front of 200 shareholders at PUMA’s 75th anniversary AGM!
But we need to grow the campaign more.
Just as Banksy has done, let's use the power of cats on social media for Palestinian rights!
We are writing to all four teams, Switzerland, Morocco, Australia and New Zealand asking them to reject sponsorship from these collaborators in Palestinian oppression – PUMA.
Palestine Film Festival on Waiheke Island
All movies are held at:
Waiheke Island Community Cinema
127-129 Ocean View Road,
Oneroa, Auckland 1081
Tickets are $10.00 at the door
proceeds to MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians)
For city visitors, ferries (Fullers) on the hour from Downtown Ferry Building, with Waiheke bus link-up and stop outside cinema (1 Km).
Tickets at door but booking recommended: online: www.waihekecinema.co.nz select 'online booking' or ph: (09) 3724240.
Please check the PSNA Facebook events page for full information.
Saturday July 29 - 7:30 pm
From Balfour to Banksy, 72 mins
dir. Martin Buckley, 2020
Facebook Event with details
Sunday July 30 - 5:00 pm
Gaza Fights for Freedom, 84 mins
dir. Abby Martin, 2019
Facebook Event with details
Monday July 31 - 7:30 pm
Farha, 92 mins
dir. Darrin J. Sallam, 2021
Facebook Event with details
Tuesday August 1 - 5:00pm
Tantura, 94 mins
dir. Alon Schwarz, 2022
Facebook Event with details
Wednesday August 2 - 7.30 pm
Walled Off - The Other Side of Oslo
dir. Vin Arfuso, 2023, prods Anwar Hadid, Kweku Mandela, Roger Waters, 90 mins
Facebook Event with details
Thursday August 3 - 7:30 pm
Mayor, 83 mins
Dir. David Osit, 2020
and
Seven Jewish Children: a play for Gaza, 20 mins
by Caryl Churchill, Waiheke production
Facebook Event with details
If you would like to be involved in helping with these events, Please contact Liz on 021 1752218
Wellington City Council votes for sister city relationship with Ramallah in Palestine
PSNA has sent our congratulations to Justice for Palestine in Wellington who successfully lobbied for Wellington City Council to adopt a sister-city relationship with Ramallah in the occupied West Bank of Palestine. More details here: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/wellington/132436582/wellington-city-council-votes-for-a-sister-city-in-palestine
Palestine MPs file formal complaint to ICC to end unlawful blockade of Gaza
PSNA responds to Pastor Nigel Woodley
PSNA Chair John Minto responded to another full-page advertisement in Wellington’s The Post newspaper last week from Pastor Nigel Woodley of Hastings. Woodley looked like he had swallowed whole an Israeli propaganda manual.
UN Updates database on companies helping build and maintain illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land
Meanwhile the UN has just updated its database of companies complicit in illegal Israeli settlements. The updated database itself is here in a pdf.
Minister of Foreign Affairs tweets
Background on Antony Loewenstein’s new book
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.
And here is the link to an excellent article in the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this month by Antony Loewenstein – https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-may-13-edition-20230405-p5cygt.html
Give a Little page to fundraise for PSNA
To broaden our fundraising base we have set up a “Give a Little” page with a target of $5,000 for a month. Feel free to make a donation yourself or pass on the QR code below to family and friends who may be able to help.
OR
Transfer your donation directly 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
Watch out for this man promoting racism and apartheid
Here he is – the Israeli ambassador – 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
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
General
Australia, Canada, UK deeply concerned over Israeli settlements here
The challenge to Israel and its lobby here
PSNA Chair John Minto interview on Auckland student radio bFM here
Clashes are the wrong word for Israel-Palestine violence here (Video)
Financial Times called on countries to threaten boycotts of products produced in illegal Israeli settlements here
Podcast: M. Muhannad Ayyash joins host Yara Hawari to discuss liberal Zionism and the dominant role it plays in Zionist ideology here
Ban ki Moon and Mary Robinson find evidence of apartheid in Israel-Palestine here
Anticipating Israel’s counter attack – make the one democratic state solution mainstream again here
UK bill would outlaw schools and other public bodies from boycotting Israel here
Why are they trying to cancel Roger Waters here (Video)
Return to peaceful and armed struggle here
Victorian Labor gives Anthony Albanese deadline to recognise Palestine here
Australian Labour Party factions pull punches on AUKUS but back Palestine here
Fresh pressure on Albanese govt to recognise Palestine here
Albanese government must recognise Palestine this term: Victorian Labor Conference here
Australian Greens say Israel perpetrates the crime of apartheid here
Australian Greens Palestine resolution here
Israel
Israel murders five Palestinians in disastrous Jenin raid – four Israeli soldiers killed in retaliation here
Israel - Druze confrontation with the state is deeper than anger at wind farm here
The shocking truth behind the Baghdad bombings of 1950 and 1951 here
Israel's Christians horrified by hate crimes in Jerusalem here
Israel approves plans for thousands of illegal settlement homes here
Israel kills three Palestinians in West Bank drone strike here
Young Jews talk of change of heart here
Israeli brutality
Nowhere in Palestine is free: West Bank villagers defenceless against rising settler violence here
Jewish Power lawmaker threatens to blow up summer camp for Palestinian and Israeli children here
Will we see a major Israeli assault in the occupied West Bank here
Israel’s control challenged by Hezbollah in north, restive West Bank here
Deaths and injuries as Israeli occupation forces raid Jenin here
Palestine
Two key developments in the Palestinian Authority here
UNRWA Commissioner-General Calls for Sustainability of the Agency’s Services to Millions of Palestine Refugees at Advisory Commission Meeting in Beirut here
Return to peaceful and armed struggle here
Al Shabaka’s later annual report is here
Israel increasingly fears West Bank chaos and the rise of Hamas here
UN
Israel tells the UN we will not stop building in the West Bank here
UN chief encourages Israel to kill more Palestinian children here
UN slams Israel’s use of advanced military weaponry in Jenin here
US
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt says its anti-semitic when people tweet “Free Palestine” at him 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)