11 Poutū-te-rangi 2026
11 March 2026

Newsletter No 231

Items in this newsletter

New Items

Nationwide rallies/marches/vigils this week
PSNA National Hui in Rotorua – Friday May 1 to Sunday May 3
Something you can do now with just a few clicks…
Palestine features in “Round the Bays” run in Tamaki
Songs of solidarity in Newtown, Wellington
Some pics from around the country
Are Israeli surfers heading for Raglan?
No room for genocide
My Name is Rachel Corrie – for Tamaki/Auckland supporters
Important stories this week

REGULAR ITEMS

MPs Complicit with Genocide
Keep spreading the message about the Genocide Hotline!
Annual Palestinian Solidarity Dates
How to Donate
Palestine Solidarity Groups around Aotearoa

Nationwide rallies/marches/MP protests/vigils this week

To view events around Aotearoa:

We have an events page on our website as well as a Facebook events page

PSNA Website events page:

You can find it here – www.PSNA.nz/Events

The QR code for the PSNA website events page is this:

It is updated on Wednesday afternoon and ongoing as events are notified to us. Please check back on Friday afternoon to see if there has been Additions or Changes.

Or go to the PSNA Homepage – www.PSNA.nz. Scroll down to the button “For a list of events Nationwide, please click here - Check back often for updates”. Click the button. Check back on Friday for any moves, adds or changes

PSNA Facebook events page

Go to the PSNA Facebook events page here

There are more than 30 events around the Motu this week.

PSNA National meeting in Rotorua

– 5pm Friday May 1 to 1pm Sunday May 3, 2026 –

PSNA are holding our National Hui in Rotorua on Friday 1st of May to Sunday 3rd of May. The venue is a marae where most people will be able to stay with any extra accommodation provided in cabins or billeting with locals. Alternatively you may like to make your own accommodation arrangements.

PSNA will be covering the cost of meals and accommodation and we’d like you to register with Anne secretary@psna.nz as soon as possible to help with planning.

We imagine most people coming from the South Island and lower North Island will need to fly and others will come by car. Either way if you need help with a travel subsidy please let Anne know.

If you are flying we advise to BOOK NOW to get reasonably priced airfares.

Please note there will be a Mihi Whakatau (welcome) late on Friday afternoon so please try to arrive by 5pm on the Friday.

This national will be a critically important event for people from around the country to come together to build the campaign to isolate genocidal, apartheid Israel and build the campaign for Palestinian liberation.

We are fighting the most important human rights issue of the 21st century and we need your help to shape, plan and organize for the future.

Something you can do now with just a few clicks…

Copy and paste this letter into an email and send to the Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

p.goldsmith@ministers.govt.nz

Kia ora Mr Goldsmith,

Clarification of government intention re “Move-on Orders”

With the government announcing its intention to legislate extra police powers through “move-on” orders aimed at homeless New Zealanders we would welcome your assurance the legislation will not provide police a back-door method of restricting the right to protest under the Bill of Rights Act.

In particular, we refer to comments from Christchurch City Councillor Aaron Keown who was quoted by Radio New Zealand last week as saying:

Keown said police told him months ago that they needed powers like the proposed move-on orders, which he believed would help disperse protesters.
Councillor Keown welcomed the newly announced move-on powers, which he believed would "absolutely help" disperse protesters, something Woods said was of grave concern to Amnesty International.

This is in contrast to statements made by senior police when a PSNA delegation met with them two weeks ago to discuss increasing attacks on Palestine solidarity supporters around the country by elements of the pro-Israel lobby. At the meeting police specifically told our delegation these “move-on” orders would NOT be used to restrict protest rights.

To ensure the right to free speech and the right to protest are protected we would welcome an assurance that the proposed legislation will specifically exclude actions taken by citizens under the Bill of Rights Act.

Please respond without unnecessary delay.

Palestine features in “Round the Bays” run in Tamaki

**30,000 runners went under this bridge on the Round the Bays run this year**

“As usual, we had three pro zionist Israel supporters yelling an insult or giving us the fingers as they ran. Happens Every year.

BUT, we had thousands of people waving support, thumbs up, fist bumps and some breaking into spontaneous Free Palestine" chants. I observed that the numbers supporting Palestinian Human Rights seemed to have doubled from last year!

You can see a segment of video here - https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Gr573DcfB/

PS
Palestine Protesters have been at the bridge since at least 2003. Note the old bridge.

Songs of solidarity in Newtown, Wellington

Songs of Solidarity have a space at 150 Riddiford Street, Newtown, for good vibes, chatting, books for sale and PSNA merchandise on sale too. Open week days evenings from 5.30pm to 8pm.

Weekend gatherings for the rest of March any time of day.

Some pics from around the country

**At a recent Ōtepoti/Dunedin flag-waving for Palestine**

**A great message for the public in Ōtepoti/Dunedin last week**

**Now that’s what we’d call a Palestinian flag! (Ōtepoti/Dunedin)**

**Whakatū/Nelson getting ready to meet the public**

**Whatatū/Nelson linking indigenous struggles around the globe**

**Plenty of merch available in Whakatū/Nelson**

**A great sign for the public in Whaingaroa/Raglan on Internation Women’s Day on 8 March**

Are Israeli surfers heading for Raglan?

PSNA letter to Surf New Zealand

9 March 2026

Ben Kennings
Chief Executive
Surfing New Zealand
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

Kia ora Mr Kennings,

Re Possible Israeli participation in international surfing event at Raglan

We were interested to see that New Zealand has been added to the World Surf League’s Championship Tour schedule for 2026 with an event in Raglan from 15 – 25 May this year.

We are seeking an absolute assurance from you that no Israeli surfers will participate in this event at Raglan.

It’s very disappointing to see Israeli surfer Anat Lelior on the World Surf League’s website despite Palestinians calling for the complete boycott of Israel for more than 20 years now over Israel’s genocidal, apartheid policies against Palestinians.

We use the words genocide and apartheid deliberately because every credible human rights group internationally – such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the largest and most credible human rights group in Israel, B’Tselem – have declared Israel to be a genocidal, apartheid state which is working to destroying all opportunities for Palestinian self-determination.

We expect Surfing New Zealand and the World Surf League to stand up for sporting values and join the boycott of Israel just as New Zealand joined the international sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s.

We look forward to your response without unnecessary delay.

Ngā mihi.
John Minto
Co-Chair PSNA

No room for genocide

This is a BDS campaign against companies advertising booking in homes in illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

From the BDS organisers:

Since the launch of our No Room for Genocide campaign, ethical hospitality businesses, grassroots organizations and conscientious individuals across the world have joined us. They are pressuring their respective governments to meet their legal obligations and ensure those who have been implicated in the commission of genocide, apartheid and war crimes against Palestinians are not provided safe haven in their territories.

The BDS movement has just launched two new tools to amplify this campaign.

Are you running a hotel or a B&B, a trek or a café, etc.?

You can do your part now, joining businesses, communities, and neighbourhoods to ensure they don’t host war criminals and genocidaires: Sign the pledge to be a Sanctuary of Peace and join a growing number of businesses that are taking a stand worldwide

Sign the sanctuary pledge here

Are you using Booking.com and Airbnb?

They list illegal settlement properties built on stolen Palestinian land, a war crime under international law, as Israeli rentals on their sites. Escalate our BDS campaign to pressure both companies to end their complicity by signing the pledge as an ethical traveller.

Sign the pledge to drop Airbnb and Booking.com here

My name is Rachel Corrie

(for Auckland supporters)

More details are here:

My Name is Rachel Corrie | Te Pou Theatre

The show is only on for four nights in this initial run.

19-22 March

6.30pm

(Te Pou Theatre is in the Corban Estate in West Auckland)

We'd love to see you there if you can make it!

Lots of love

Acacia and the Sumud Ensemble team x

Important stories this week

Editor’s picks

Israel’s goal in Iran is not just regime change, but complete collapse here
Iran Weighs Tactical Shift in Persian Gulf Strikes While Intensifying Attacks on Israel here
Debunked and Confirmed: Myths and Realities from the Iran War by Ramzy Baroud here

Regular items

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Join the ICC Six Watch

Share the poster on social media – keep alert – email ICC6@PSNA.nz if you find where any of these six genocide deniers are due to show up.

Keep spreading the message about the Genocide Hotline!

Remember possible action for local groups

For groups affiliated to PSNA we suggest the following actions could be taken at any time in support of this campaign

Asking your local backpacker accommodation to display the poster and draw it to the attention of any Israeli soldiers here on “rest and recreation” from the genocide.
Pasting the hotline poster (use the version in this newsletter which includes a contact email) around the vicinity of backpacker venues in your local area. This is already happening in some areas.
Hand out flyers to people in the vicinity of your local backpackers
Contact us on the hotline if you come across Israeli soldiers

Merchandise for sale - please check with your local branch and/or contact us Merchandise@PSNA.nz

**Recent new material – leaflets and stickers are free the bucket hats and caps are $25**

If your local branch does not have what you are after we are ready to mail to you any of our t-shirts, long ($35) and short ($30) sleeved, hoodies ($45) bumper stickers ($3), Tino/Palestine pins ($3) flags large & medium ($10 or $7) and other items plus postage.

The watermelon and the fist stickers will be back in stock early next week.

See more on the PSNA website here.

Reminder: Annual Dates for Palestine Solidarity

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)

Nationwide Rally list

To view events around Aotearoa:

Go to the PSNA Homepage – www.PSNA.nz. Scroll down to the button “For a list of events Nationwide, please click here - Check back often for updates”. Click the button. Check back on Friday for any moves, adds or changes
Or events are on the PSNA Facebook events page here
Or Scroll down to the bottom of this Newsletter for the detailed list of events for this week.
We have added a page to the PSNA website where we now post the Events list. You can find it here – www.PSNA.nz/Events

The QR code for this is:

It is updated on Wednesday afternoon and ongoing as events are notified to us. Please check back on Friday afternoon to see if there has been Additions or Changes.

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 - 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