Lobbying Guidelines
Guidelines for PSNA visits to MPs in support of the Green Party “Unlawful Occupation of Palestine” sanctions bill
Introduction
PSNA is supporting the Green Party Sanctions Bill and is organising delegations to all National Party MPs in support of the bill.
The Bill is based on the sanctions the government has imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. It’s not a perfect bill but it would be a significant step forward from where the government is now.
The bill has the support of Labour, Green and Te Pāti Māori MPs but needs at least seven MPs from the government to support it for it to pass. Hence the approaches to National MPs.
Gather your delegation
Approach local supporters to form a delegation of 2 to 4 people ideally. If you can’t find enough people contact bronwensummers@gmail.com who will be able to give you the names of local supporters in your electorate (Bronwen updates our PSNA national database)
Suggested email requesting meeting with local MP
kia ora __________,
A small group of your local constituents would like to meet with you as soon as you are able to express our serious concern about the Israel's renewed assault on Gaza.
The horror is unbelievable: Since March 2 Israel has enforced the complete shutdown of entry into Gaza of food, water, fuel and medical supplies, opening what UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calls the 'floodgates of horror’.
We know you will be as appalled as we are at the loss of innocent civilian life in Gaza and we want to discuss with you the “Unlawful Occupation of Palestine” sanctions bill which should be before parliament soon.
Can you indicate a suitable time for us to meet with you to discuss this?
We look forward to hearing from you.
(Your name)
Before the meeting
Meet with the other members of your delegation and work out who will speak to what issues in the meeting – you may only have a few minutes so carefully prioritise what you want to say.
Here are suggested points for you to raise in the meeting:
Rules based order. NZ supports a rules-based international order – for example through the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Israel is the world’s most egregious violator of international rules.
War crimes. Unfortunately, our government has stayed silent, although it has called for a negotiated settlement in Gaza, which Israel agreed to and then has trashed. Israel agreed to a three-phase ceasefire in January this year but then refused to negotiate stage two of the agreement which would have forced it to withdraw its troops from Gaza. An arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for trial on war crimes charges.
We have done sanctions before for war crimes. The Green Party bill is based on the sanctions the government has imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Why did we sanction Russia but not Israel? It’s not a perfect bill but it would be a significant step forward from where the government is now.
Give credit. NZ has spoken out against illegal Israeli settlements and criticised IDF attacks on UN staff. NZ has made it clear that Israel needs to let humanitarian aid into Gaza and for a permanent ceasefire to come into being. NZ also voted in the UN General Assembly last September to endorse the International Court of Justice ruling that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory was illegal and Israel must vacate Occupied Palestinian Territory within a year.
NZ must follow the ICJ. The ruling by the ICJ requires NZ to take actions against Israel’s illegal occupation but the government has done nothing.
NZ public wants sanctions https://justiceforpalestine.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/palestine-survey-report-aug-24-2.pdf You will see that the majority of National voting respondents who gave an opinion support sanctions on Israel. Similarly with recognising the state of Palestine.
The Key government. In John Key 2014 called in the Israeli ambassador at least once for a formal rebuke during the much smaller scale of Israeli attacks on Gaza at that time. The John Key National government also co-sponsored UNSC 2334 in 2016, describing the Israeli settlements in the Palestine Occupied Territory as a 'flagrant violation of international law'.
The “Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill” is a modest attempt to bring accountability to Israel for what the ICJ has described as a “plausible genocide”
We would like the National Party to give its MPs a “conscience vote” on this bill rather than be forced to vote along party lines.
Following the meeting
Please write to us at chair@PSNA.nz to give feedback on your meeting with any details or points of interest that will be useful for us to know for the future.
Thanks for being part of this approach to MPs.
If anything in this circular is unclear please feel free to contact PSNA directly.
Ngā mihi.
John Minto
National Co-Chair