1 Paenga-whāwhā 2026
1 April 2026

Newsletter No 234

Items in this newsletter

New Items

Nationwide rallies/marches/vigils this week
PSNA National Hui in Rotorua – Friday May 1 to Sunday May 3
Fundraising Raffle – Flightless in Gaza
International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Child - April 5
Help Gaza’s Children Reclaim Their Childhood Through Swimming
National Day of Action – No Wars – April 11
Zionists Israels Murder Bill approved
Jewish, Not zionist!
Remembering Rachel Corrie
Delusional Trump. . .
Something you can do now with just a click… Call on Stanford to “Ban Israeli Soldiers from Aotearoa”
A couple of pics from around the country
Preserved Identity
National Election November 2026 - A Reminder
Important stories this week

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.

Fundraising Raffle – Flightless in Gaza

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Child - April 5

Significance and History

The day, also known as Palestinian Children’s Day, was declared by the late President Yasser Arafat to coincide with the commitment of Palestine to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is observed every year on April 5 to highlight the challenges faced by Palestinian children, including violations of their rights to life, education, health, and protection from violence and displacement (Wikipedia),.

Current Context

Palestinian children continue to face severe hardships due to ongoing conflict. Since October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank have resulted in the deaths of thousands of children, with over 13,800 killed in Gaza alone and hundreds more in the West Bank, while many remain missing or injured (Defense for Children Palestine),. Children are deprived of basic necessities such as food, water, medicine, and education, with schools and homes destroyed, and many children orphaned or separated from their families (UN News; DCIP),.

Observance and Advocacy

The day is marked by campaigns and initiatives to raise awareness of the violations against Palestinian children and to advocate for their protection under international law. Organizations such as Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP), the Palestine Network for Children’s Rights, and UNICEF engage in advocacy, legal action, and humanitarian support to ensure children’s rights are upheld (DCIP),. Activities include webinars, educational programs, and calls for international accountability for violations against children (DCI),.

International Recognition

The day aligns with broader UN efforts to support Palestinian rights and humanitarian aid. The UN Secretary-General and other officials emphasize the need for protection, humanitarian assistance, and the upholding of children’s rights in conflict zones (UN News; UNIS),. The observance also serves as a reminder of the international community’s responsibility to advocate for peace, justice, and the well-being of Palestinian children.

Key Takeaways

· Observed annually on April 5 as Palestinian Children’s Day.

· Highlights violations of children’s rights in Gaza and the West Bank.

· Promotes advocacy, humanitarian aid, and international solidarity.

· Encourages global awareness and action to protect Palestinian children from violence, displacement, and deprivation.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Child is a call to action for governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide to support the rights, safety, and development of Palestinian children and to work toward a future where they can live in peace and dignity.

Help Gaza’s Children Reclaim Their Childhood Through Swimming

Children are the biggest victims of the war on Gaza – they have lost carers, they suffered injuries and amputations, and they need the most support. They need stability, recovery, structure. Their innocent minds and little, fragile bodies have been shattered. Their emerging sense of who they are and what sort of world this is has been disturbingly altered.

Amjed says: ‘From past experience, swimming, water and sea are major healers for children. And we will be targeting the children most affected – thousands of orphans, amputees. The pool will be built for them.’

Amjed Tantesh has been running a swimming school for many years in Gaza. But his pools are now buried under rubble.

In 2014 after a previous assault with widespread destruction, he built a pool on a beach, taking rubble from the destroyed buildings to create a wall and using a digger to excavate the sand creating a wonderful space for children to swim. He has been personally bereaved and lost four of his former teachers. However, he is undaunted. With his strong heart, he wants to do it again.

You can help Amjed build that pool here

National Day of Action – no Wars

Help spread the word about this national Day of Action to shame our government and demand NZ has an independent foreign policy. The aim is for action in every centre, big and small, around the country.

Zionists Israels Murder Bill approved

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed a controversial one-sided bill that will instruct military courts to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts of “terror”, but will not impose the same penalty on Jewish Israelis convicted of killing Palestinians. Zionist Israeli Terrorists get a free ride.

Amichai Cohen, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute’s Center for Democratic Values and Institutions, told the Associated Press that “Jews will not be indicted under this law”.

Then zionists insist that Israel is Not an Apartheid state.

Jewish, Not zionist!

Ideological zionists (note that I do Not capitalise “z”ionism given my contempt for its Ideology) have been banging on and one about zionism = Jewish – zionist.

This is simply Not true.

Zionism is an ideology that has at its Core:

· A Greater Israel taking in the Whole of Palestine, much of Lebanon, All of Jordan, part of Egypt, Much of Syria and parts of Iraq and Saudi Arabia

· A zionist “Jewish” state with a Minimum of 90% Jews (ensuring that Ethnic Cleansing had to take place in Palestine)

· Jewish Ethno Supremacy

· Land Theft

· Ethnic Cleansing

· Apartheid

· And now Genocide

Judaism is a revered religion which the genuine adherents of are appalled by the actions of zionism and reject the Ideology of zionism as it is in opposition to Judaism.

Many decent Jews Reject the Ideology of zionism. Marilyn Garson, a Kiwi Author, even wrote a book about that.

Two Thirds of zionists are Christian zionists who want to see the Jews gathering in Palestine so it triggers the return of Jesus and the Rapture that they dream of. What is the “Rapture? It is where all the “Good” Christians of their belief are lifted up and every non-Christian is destroyed. Including all the Jews that they support moving to Palestine. The most anti-Semitic thing that anyone could wish for - the complete slaughter of All Jews in the world.

Remembering Rachel Corrie

Rachel was a young American Woman who Knew Right from Wrong.

More than that, Rachel Knew that She had to do Something.

So, Rachel stood up against the Illegal zionist Israeli Destruction of Palestinian Houses. A part of Israels Deliberate Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine.

So, what did the Terrorists in the Israeli Military do?

They, as they have done to so many Peace activists before, they Murdered her.

On March 16, 2003, Rachel as standing trying to protect a house from the Destructive Israeli Bulldozer. Even though the driver had a clear sight of Rachel, and had an Israeli Soldier along with him, he drove a bulldozer over Rachel. Then to add Death to Injury, he dropped the blade and made sure Rachel was Dead – Murdered.

Delusional Trump. . .

Something you can do now with just a click…

Email Minister of Immigration Erica Stanford – “Ban Israeli Soldiers from Aotearoa”

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Kia ora Minister Stanford - Minister of Immigration

E.Stanford@ministers.govt.nz

Ban Israeli Soldiers from Aotearoa

As you are aware, Aotearoa allows 200 Israeli Soldiers to come to New Zealand on Working Holiday Visas each year to Rest and Relax after Voluntarily spending time in the Israeli Military. I say Voluntarily as it is possible to Refuse to enlist in the Israeli Military as growing numbers of young Israelis are doing.

For the length of Israels existence, it has been running an Apartheid system where Jews and Non Jews live with different allowances. Since 1967, that Apartheid has been obvious given the Illegal Israeli Attack and Occupation of the Palestinian Territories. Jews and Palestinians there live under Two Separate legal systems.

Currently, Israel is carrying out a Genocide in Gaza and mase moved on to Ethnic Cleansing the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Apartheid, Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide are All Crimes against Humanity.

To be able to carry out these Crimes against Humanity, Israel uses it’s Military. The Soldiers in the Israeli Military are carrying out Crimes against Humanity and in effect are War Criminals.

Hence, when You allow those Israeli Soldiers into Aotearoa, you allow War Criminals to walk amongst us.

I call on you to end the Working Holiday Visa for young Israeli War Criminals coming to Aotearoa.

Yours sincerely

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You can send this email by clicking here.

Please remember of fill in your name.

And, please consider BCC'ing your email to Admin@PSNA.nz so we can track how many emails were sent.

Some pics from around the country

82-year-old Palestinian Ghazi speaking in Tamaki Makaurau

Hahona speaking prior to leaving to join the boats to Gaza

Preserved Identiry

Explore their collection:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/palestinian.id
Website: www.preservedidentity.com
Kufiyas: https://preservedidentity.com/product-category/kufiyas-shawls/

National Election November 2026 - A Reminder

Its time to start to make sure all of our friends and whanau are on the Electoral Roll and ready to vote for our future in November.

We need to working hard to make sure that Every Eligible Voter Can Vote on Election day

This National Led government has blocked Election Day enrolment. This largely affects the Young and less well off in our society.

My recommendations are these:

Check to see that, if you have previously enrolled, you haven't been Scrubbed Off the role. It is too late to fix that on Election Day as David Seymour has stopped that remedy.
If you moved home, etc, please check to see you are still on the roll here. They will scrub You off the roll if you don't fill in the form they Post to you or haven't checked being on the roll. . .
If you are a new voter, enroll to vote here
Please check that your friends and Whanau have either checked that they are still on the roll, or that they have enrolled to vote.
Put a diary note to check your name again a month out from the election in case someone takes the opportunity to scrub you off the roll. Its Too Late on the day.

Important stories this week

Editor’s picks

What’s Israel’s death penalty law that only applies to Palestinians? - here
Discriminatory’ Israeli death penalty law would be war crime, says UN rights chief - here
Gazans hold vigil for prisoners after Israel passes death penalty law targeting Palestinians - here
Imperialist crime: The murder of journalists Fatima Ftouni and Ali Sheaib - here
Collapsing Empire: The Resistance Disarms 'Israel' - here
US Sanctions: Criminalizing Palestinian and Global Justice Work - here
De-Healthification: Israel’s Engineered Collapse of Palestinian Life - here
The World Radicalized by the Gaza Genocide - here
‘War crime’: Global condemnation as Israeli ministers celebrate death penalty law targeting Palestinian prisoners - here
What is the JDL? Inside the Jewish extremist group inspiring anti-Palestinian terror in NYC. - here
Israel’s widespread use of torture is a core element of its genocide against the Palestinian people - here
Weekly Briefing: Jewish extremism, from Israel to New Jersey - 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