15 Paenga-whāwhā 2026
15 April 2026

Newsletter No 236

Items in this newsletter

New Items

Nationwide rallies/marches/vigils this week
PSNA National Hui in Rotorua – Friday May 1 to Sunday May 3
Auckland council votes to investigate sanctions against apartheid Israel
The pathetic hypocrisy of Winston Peters and Christoper Luxon
Upcoming local events around the motu
BDS at the forefront of the struggle – important webinar early tomorrow NZ time
Global action this week for Palestinian hostages
Holocaust education yes, but the Palestinian genocide must be included
Something you can do now with just a single click…
“Put your soul on your hand and walk”
Fundraising raffle
Important stories this week

Regular items

Join the ICC Six watch
MPs Complicit with Genocide
Keep spreading the message about the Genocide Hotline!

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.

From solidarity to liberation

PSNA National meeting in Rotorua

We are holding our National Hui in Rotorua from 5.30pm on Friday 1st of May to lunchtime Sunday 3rd of May. The venue is a marae with accommodation for everyone and meals provided on site.

PSNA is covering the cost of meals and accommodation.

This is less than three weeks away and available places are filling up quickly so please register with our Secretary 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.

It may be cheaper for people to fly to Tauranga or Auckland and carpool with Auckland or Bay of Plenty supporters from there. If you’d like to do this please be in touch with Anne in the first instance and we can work out details from there.

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

We hope every centre around the country will be able to be represented at the national meeting – please don’t let cost be a barrier to being represented – email Anne secretary@psna.nz if you are having problems with the cost to get there.

This national gathering will be a critically important vent 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.

Auckland council votes to investigate sanctions against apartheid Israel

PSNA media release 14 April 2026

PSNA has congratulated Auckland City Councilors who voted this morning to investigate supporting sanctions against Israel for war crimes.

The Auckland Council Policy, Planning and Development Committee has just voted 14 to 2 to request a staff report by July on sanctioning companies on the UN’s Human Rights Council who are complicit with Israel’s illegal occupation and settlement of the Palestinian Territory.

“Israel has been stealing Palestinian land and moving Israeli settlers onto the land in defiance of international law”, says PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal.

“The local Palestinian community and our supporters sincerely thank the Auckland councillors who today have voted for steps to refuse to procure goods or services from any of the companies involved in building and maintaining these settlements.”

“Auckland ratepayers deserve to know their rates are not being used to support Israeli war crimes, as designated by the UN General Assembly, Security Council, international conventions and the International Court of Justice.

Councillor Julie Fairey moved the resolution and rejected the arguments of councillors who opposed it, on the grounds that the Council should ‘stick to its knitting’, by stating decisions should be made so that ‘the needles and the wool do not have blood on them.

Councillor Maurice Williamson voted against the resolution. But as a cabinet minister of the Key/English government at the time, he stated he had supported New Zealand co-sponsorship of the UN Security Resolution 2334 in 2016, calling Israeli settlements ‘a flagrant breach of international law’.

Williamson then went on to attack the UN Human Rights Council, falsely claiming it is chaired by Iran, when in fact the UNHRC’s President is from Indonesia.

Nazzal says, “Already six different local bodies have taken this step – it’s good to see Auckland following along the same path.”

Environment Canterbury (March 2024)

Christchurch City Council (October 2024)

Nelson City Council (December 2024)

Wellington City Council (August 2025)

Environment Southland (September 2025)

Palmerston North City Council (September 2025)

The United Nations Human Rights Commission has produced a list of 156 companies involved in illegal settlement activities; the database is here in a pdf.

**PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazal, Councillor Julie Fairey and PSNA rep Kathy Ross after the successful vote**

**Kathy Ross and Maher Nazzal present to the council meeting for PSNA**

The pathetic hypocrisy of Winston Peters and Christopher Luxon

Upcoming local events around the motu

**The local PSNA outreach group getting ready for another stall at Lyttelton market this coming weekend**

**Excellent local leaflet Invercargill has produced in the leadup to their approach to council to sanction Israel for war crimes by changing its procurement policies**

BDS at the forefront of the struggle – important webinar early tomorrow NZ time

Global action this week for Palestinian hostages

Background piece from Gillian in Whaingaroa/Raglan

Four months ago “Physicians for Human Rights Israel” published a comprehensive report, available on-line on their web page, detailing the systematic killing of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. They determined that since October 2023, at least 103 Palestinians were killed in Israeli detention facilities through torture and grave violence, or through a clear policy of denial of medical treatment. Forty-nine Palestinians died in military custody, and 54 in Israel Prison Service custody. These figures are staggering, even more so when evidence shows that in the ten years prior to the present genocide and ethno-cleansing in Gaza and the Palestinian Occupied West Bank, less than thirty Palestinians died in Israeli prisons.

Since October 2023, more than 11,000 Palestinians have been rounded up by Israeli forces. At least a third have never been charged with an offence, let alone appeared in the Israeli military court where Palestinians are tried. Civil trials are reserved for Israelis only. These Palestinian hostages are kept blind folded, shackled with chains, kicked, hit with batons, beaten to death, starved to death, and suffer severe sexual abuse. Prisoners are always kept in chains, and beaten if they move their position or speak. Many are kept in solitary confinement. Chains caused severe wounds and infections that went untreated, and some required limb amputations. The bodies of Palestinian dead returned to families show evidence of severe bruising, broken bones, and organ removal. Evidence has been provided by Isreali sources: “Physicians for Human Rights-Isreal”; “Breaking the Silence” (a group of former Israeli soldiers); guards and medical workers in prison hospitals; and from Sde Teiman, Kishon, and Megiddo prison guards. In addition, 70 Palestinian women are detained in Damon prison without basic human rights protection.

The Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, has just passed a new death penalty law permitting the legal killing of Palestinians. Physicians for Human Rights-Israel argues that this gives an official stamp of approval for a policy of revenge and violent racism towards Palestinians, gravely violating the principle of due process and judicial review. Further, they argue that the law turns physicians into official partners in a process aimed at taking lives rather than protecting them. The law targets Palestinians only, not applying to Israelis. It demonstrates that the lives of Palestinians under Israeli control are worth much less in Isreal’s apartheid state.

Winstone Peters has whispered that he is “concerned” at the new law passed with champagne flowing in Israel’s Knesset last week. His response is not good enough. We need him and other ministers in this government to call out Israel, abetted by USA, for its continued aggression against the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran. Enough is enough.

Sources: 'Physicians for Human Rights-Israel' Facebook page; & https://english.ahram.org.eg.

NOTE: PSNA has an excellent leaflet on Palestinian hostages which can be copied and printed for actions over the next week. Email Co-Chair2@PSNA.nz for a copy.

Webinar later today calling for Freedom for Palestinian political prisoners

Speakers:

Arab Barghouti, a prisoners’ rights advocate based in Ramallah, and son of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti
Ben Marmarelli, an Israeli human rights lawyer representing Marwan Barghouti
Sahar Francis, General Director of human rights organisation Addameer Palestine
Maher Mughrabi, Palestinian journalist and writer

Register for the webinar here

Or on Facebook here

And on X here

Holocaust education yes, but the Palestinian genocide must be included

The government is consulting on a new draft Social Studies curriculum which for the first time makes Holocaust education compulsory in New Zealand schools.

The curriculum can be read here

PSNA supports including Holocaust education in the compulsory curriculum but it must be seen in the broader context of genocide, crimes against humanity and international law.

Six million Jews were killed by Germany’s Nazi regime in the 1930s and 1940s along with six million others who did not fit the Nazi view of European racial purity. All these 12 million people must have their memories honoured along with the numerous other more recent genocides such as those of Rwanda, Rohinga and Sudan genocides.

And most importantly, the current, on-going genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel.

Just as the Nazi Holocaust was the defining human rights issue of the 20th century, Palestine is the defining human rights issue for the 21st century. Any credible curriculum must include all these as examples of “the crime of crimes” – genocide.

It is simply not appropriate for the curriculum to centre genocide of Europeans while bypassing the numerous genocides of people of colour throughout colonial history and up to the present day.

The New Zealand curriculum needs to put the message of “never again” from the Nazis Holocaust to the test in the modern world where “never again” is being ignored and genocide normalised by European powers.

Of clear concern to PSNA is the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, which is lobbying hard for Holocaust education in the curriculum while refusing to condemn Israel’s genocidal rhetoric or the mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. The Holocaust Centre is part-funded by the Israeli Embassy and hard-pressed teachers will likely use “exclusive” material from the Centre in their social studies classes.

We need to broaden the scope of what is taught.

Something you can do now with just a few clicks…

Note the deadline for submissions is 24 April 2026.

Send the following message to nationalcurriculum.refresh@education.govt.nz

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Kia ora,

Genocide education must examine “never again” in the present day

I support including Holocaust education in the compulsory social studies curriculum but for its message to have meaning for our students, it must be seen in the broader context of genocide, crimes against humanity and international law.

Six million Jews were killed by Germany’s Nazi regime in the 1930s and 1940s along with six million others who did not fit the Nazi view of European racial purity. All these 12 million people must have their memories honoured along with the numerous other more recent genocides such as those of Rwanda, Rohinga and Sudanese people.

And most importantly, students must understand the current, on-going genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel.

Just as the Nazi Holocaust was the defining human rights issue of the 20th century, Palestine is the defining human rights issue for the 21st century. Any credible curriculum must include Palestine and the other modern-day examples of “the crime of crimes” – genocide.

It is simply not appropriate for the curriculum to centre genocide of Europeans while bypassing the numerous genocides of people of colour throughout colonial history and up to the present day. People of colour have been, and are currently, the vast majority of the victims of genocide. Our students must learn this.

The New Zealand curriculum needs to put the message of “never again” from the Nazis Holocaust to the test in the modern world where “never again” is being ignored and genocide normalised by European powers.

(your name)

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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.

“Put your soul on your hand and walk”

Details of screenings around the country are here

Fundraising Raffle – Flightless in Gaza

Important stories this week

Editor’s picks

Global Sumud Flotilla heads from Barcelona to break Gaza blockade here
Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise to join Global Sumud Flotilla mission to Gaza here
‘Ten minutes of terror’ – Lebanon death toll tops 300 from Israel’s ‘Black Wednesday’ here
Israel has just passed a law that will allow them to hang Palestinians. Sign and share this global call to EU leaders to suspend the EU–Israel trade agreement now here
NZDF to send 50 personnel to aerial and ground drones exercise in US here
Protesters condemn Luxon govt for failing to condemn illegal war on Iran here
Protesters rally across Aotearoa in condemnation of Israel, US ‘warmongering’ and ‘shameful’ NZ 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