PSNA Newsletter No 253 - 12 August 2026
Three single click emails for Palestinian solidarity this week
If you want to, please edit the messages to better reflect Your thoughts. Or if you are happy with them, please just send them as they are.
1) Click here to send this message to the Foreign Minister
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Rt Hon Winston Peters
Foreign Minister
w.peters@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Mr Peters,
50 days and still counting…
How is the study going?
It’s been 50 days and you still appear to be “studying” the United Nations Independent Commission report on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel
This is the report which found that it appears the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers were engaged in a “game” of target practice with “different body parts of children being targeted on different days”.
Don’t shame New Zealand any more with your silence.
Please respond to this email urgently.
(your name)
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3) Click here to send this message to Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith
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Right Honorable Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Justice
P.Goldsmith@ministers.govt.nz
Disenfranchising people from voting won't shorten the time to count the vote
This year, you changed the voting registration day from Election day enrolment to two weeks before November 7.
The excuse you used was that it will bring the time to count the vote forward and we will have a final result in a shorter time.
Well, currently, it takes 20 days after polls close to count the special votes.
And we now find that the electoral office has told you that disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of votes won't bring the final count any sooner.
A party that believes in Democracy will fight Tooth and Nail to ensure that every voter entitled to vote can cast a vote.
Your actions will stop this for Hundreds of thousands of people entitled to vote.
Especially for younger voters who are more likely to vote left rather than right in an election.
I would like an explanation as to Why you Chose to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters.
Don't You and National believe in Democracy?
Please respond to this email urgently.
(your name)
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3) Click here to send this message to Iain Stewart, Executive Officer, New Zealand Ultimate
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Iain Stewart
Executive Officer
New Zealand Ultimate
nzu.eo@ultimate.org.nz
Pledge not to play against any Israeli team in the World Ultimate Club Championships in Limerick beginning later this week
Kia ora Iain,
We are writing to request Ultimate New Zealand joins Irish and Belgian teams and pledge not to play against any Israeli team in the World Ultimate Club Championships in Limerick beginning later this week.
Israel is an apartheid state which is involved in an ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza alongside ethnic cleansing through pogroms against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Palestinians have been called for boycotts of Israeli sports teams for over 20 years and in the context of the current genocide it is appalling to think Ultimate New Zealand would agree to competing alongside this genocidal apartheid state.
Some additional background you may not be aware of comes from the Palestinian campaign to isolate apartheid Israel.
“The Israeli team taking part is a member of the Israeli Flying Disc Association (IFDA), which dedicated a special frisbee to Israel's genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and has commended and organized special tournaments for its soldier players serving in Israel's ongoing genocide.
The IFDA also includes teams in illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land, including the Raccoons in the illegal settlement of Alfie Menashe. Israel's illegal settlement regime constitutes a war crime under international law. By including an IFDA team at WUCC, the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) is sportswashing Israel’s regime of apartheid and genocide and its latest escalation of state sponsored settler pogroms across the occupied Palestinian territory.
Based on the Israeli team and federation's complicity in Israel’s atrocity crimes against Indigenous Palestinians, we call on WFDF to exclude the Israeli federation and its member teams over their complicity in war crimes, the crime against humanity of apartheid, and genocide”
With this background we appeal to you to join the boycott call from Palestinians even at this eleventh hour.
New Zealand has a long history of standing up against racist sporting events. Please keep that tradition, based on moral and ethical values, alive.
Please respond urgently.
(your name)
Items in this newsletter
Nationwide rallies/marches/flagwavings this week
Nationwide rallies/marches/flagwavings this week
When you can't convince someone to vote for you, Block the vote!
The Free Palestine Party is now registered for this election
Winstons Gallows Whinge
Solidarity with Cuba
Global Alliance for Palestine - Global Activation - October 10
A few pics from around the country
Quote of the week
Notes on Video making – Part 3
Important stories this week
Films, books, performances, Palestinian culture
Roger Waters and Mona Miari team up to re-record Pink Floyd classic “Comfortably numb”
“The Voice of Hind Rajab” film coming this month
Asra – Stories of Palestinian Prisoners – tickets available now!
Regular items
“Sitting on the Fence” documentary now available for general release
Your KiwiSaver may be funding violations of Palestinian rights
Join the ICC Six watch
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.
There are more than 30 events around the Motu this week.
When you can't convince someone to vote for you, Block the vote!
Well, the National and ACT parties said they are desperate to have the results of the election as soon as possible after election day.
They say that by blocking hundreds of thousands of people from Enrolling, as they have been able to right up to election day, they will get the vote counted sooner.
It takes about 20 days to finish the vote count. This delay is due to Special votes.
But, when the Electoral Commission is asked, they say that disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of people from voting won't shorten that timeline much at all. By a day or two. You can watch the interview with Electoral Commission Chief Executive Karl Le Quesne on Q&A here.
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"In late 2025, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith celebrated the passing of a new law which he said would speed up the voting count after a general election: unlike previous elections, in 2026, no one will be allowed to enroll once early voting starts, 13 days before election day, November 7.
It's driving Electoral Commission Chief Executive Karl Le Quesne to make sure as many New Zealanders as possible are aware of the changes and enrolled before they miss out.
But even with no disruption to people's ability to vote, Le Quesne says this change won't deliver the efficiency savings the Government advertised."
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So National and ACT are happy to attack our democracy
Why?
It is mostly young people who will be disenfranchised. They enrol late and move house often.
National and ACT Know that younger voters are more likely to vote Green, Te Pati Māori and Labour. Even TOP at this election now they are polling over the 5% threshold.
So, knowing it won't bring the final count forward, and the electoral office has told National and ACT that, this is a blatant attack on our democracy by parties who are losing their support from the electorate.
I have heard from some people that this is traitorous. Parties who believe in Democracy fight tooth and nail to ensure that ALL those Entitled to vote can cast a vote. And that it why same day enrolment was instituted.
But the National and ACT parties. . .
The Free Palestine Party is now registered for this election
The Free Palestine Party is now an official list party and will be on every ballot paper for New Zealand’s general election on November 7.
It has become registered with the Electoral Commission to push the issue of Israeli Apartheid and Genocide to the centre of New Zealand politics.
Research shows that more than 60 percent of the people of Aotearoa believe that the New Zealand government should sanction Israel for its human rights abuses, this rises to 68 percent among 18-29 year olds.
You can join the Free Palestine Party by registering at https://www.palfree.nz/
Whinston's Gallows Whinge
On Saturday 1, the Migrant Workers Union held a rally just after the PSNA rally here in Tamaki Makaurau.
At their rally, they had a symbolic "Beheading of our dear Druncle Pinstripe Peters.
Well - All Hell broke loose.
Pinstripe has had his "Snout" in our Parliamentary "Trough" for almost 42 years, plus the additional three terms out of Parliament being another 9 years. Taking him stalking Aotearoa voters for 51 years, more than Half a Century. Imagine that. More Than Half a Century. . .
Pinstripe whinged about the long used symbolic Beheading of a politician meaning that he is due to have his Influence taken off him rather than actual violence. Even though it was stated that this was Not a call for violence.
So after more than 50 years in Politics, Pinstripe pleads Ignorance of this centuries old use of street theatre.
If Pinstripe has forgotten this form of Street Theatre, it suggests that his Memory is fading.
Maybe Pinstripe should consider retiring. . .
Then.
Back when the people were protesting in Wellington, Pinstripe chose to go talk with them even though they had held Nooses and actively called for Jacinda Ardern to be hung.
Hanging Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, it's OK ;-) thinks Pinstripe?
Symbolically beheading me, the worst crime of the century.
Hypocrisy anyone. . .
PS, there is an interesting article on this here.
Solidarity with Cuba
Like Palestine, Cuba is facing intense US pressure with an illegal militarily enforced blockade and immense human suffering.
Many of our supporters will want to express their solidarity with Cuba at this national gathering in Christchurch this coming weekend.
The Global Alliance for Palestine has sent out a call for a Global Activation.
Put this date in your diary and make plans for the day. Individual actions through to Rallies and Marches.
As Roger Fowler said, “Do What You Can”.
A few pics from around the country this week…
The head chanter of Auckland returns. The Young Palestinians Will Not Forget.
Auckland – Stop Wars Aotearoa Rally
Auckland – Holding pictures of girls killed by the US in Minab
Flags on the Bridge in New Plymouth
Outreach in Christchurch
Quote of the week
No people anywhere in the world would accept being expelled en masse from their own country; how can anyone require the people of Palestine to accept a punishment which nobody else would tolerate?
—Bertrand Russell
Notes on Video Production
This is the second of a series of short notes about how we improve communicating our messages through social media.
Filming & Sound – Part Three
(Parts one and two were in previous newsletters)
A view from a videographer
Here’s a few of my pet peeves when photographing or videotaping events, maybe you’ve already mentioned them and I missed that email, anyway, here goes:
Please ensure that things like bags, merch, cables, bikes are not in the space where videoing takes place. None of it looks good in a photo or video, it’s not always easy to crop out and, unless you have Lightroom or Photoshop it’s difficult to erase using open source apps
Please don’t hang around behind the speakers chatting. Its a bad look, difficult to crop around in stills and impossible to get around on video
People appear to be unaware of the importance of the videos and photos - they walk in front of us, don’t notice that their flag, placard, backpack etc has just blocked what we’re trying to capture
I usually use a camera when I’m photographing at events which seems to help people to be aware of my presence. I notice a difference when I’m using my phone, as if people think that I’m taking snaps for my social media rather than recording the event for use by PSNA to promote our cause
I wonder if it would help if the photographers and videographers at each event were introduced at the beginning so that people are aware of who we are and what we do and how important the role is.
Important stories this week
Editor’s picks
Free Palestine Party becomes latest political party in Aotearoa here
Abby Martin’s documentary takes on the ‘Earth’s Greatest Enemy’ ecocide here
Anas al-Sharif wanted no pedestal, only that Gaza be remembered here
How the West Bank pogroms fit into Israel's annexation plan here
‘Is this how our story ends?’ Palestinian refugees live in fear as Israel takes aim at West Bank camps here
Palestinian club football to restart in September after Gaza war suspension here
'Used as human bait': Leaked image shows elderly Palestinian men before execution by Israeli forces here
Why did Israel reject Donald Trump's 15-point plan for Gaza? herehere
Other stories
How anti-Palestinian racism drives Britain’s two-tier policing here
Pro-Palestinian advocates won big in Michigan – what comes next? here
Why the Mecca Agreement is a necessary show of force here
Zionism has warped the lexicon, so words are now convenient weapons here
Israeli media eye Rebeca Grynspan's Jewish identity as she emerges as UN chief frontrunner here
BBC ADMITS Bias In Favour Of Israel - With ABSURD Defence here.
BBC on Gaza Israel one story double standards here
Films, books, performances, Palestinian culture:
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Roger Waters and Mona Miari team up to re-record Pink Floyd classic “Comfortably numb”
The Voice of Hind Rajab – new film will be at NZ International Film Festival later this year
In The Voice of Hind Rajab, the voice in question is a small one, belonging to a young girl alone and in unconscionable peril, high and breathless with fear and confusion. But it cuts through Kaouther Ben Hania’s film with piercing clarity, largely because, in contrast to a surrounding chorus of frantic adult voices, it isn’t performed. Rather, it’s a real-life recording of the last words ever spoken by Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian child killed on Jan. 29, 2024, after her family’s car was shelled by Israeli forces during their invasion of the Gaza Strip. In her final hours, the girl repeatedly phoned call-center volunteers at the Palestine Red Crescent Society, pleading for a rescue vehicle that never made it to her.
Making that horrifying 70-minute audio file the heart and spine of her film, Ben Hania baldly confronts her audience with the real-time fate of one of more than 18,000 children killed so far in an ongoing genocide.
If The Voice of Hind Rajab opens one hitherto blinkered eye, or ear, to the atrocities in Gaza, it will have done its job. - Guy Lodge, Variety
More information here
Asra – Stories of Palestinian Prisoners – tickets now available
View this short video about this amazing production
Tickets are available here
Regular items
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“Sitting on the Fence” now available online
In Sitting On The Fence, Kiwi voices speaking truth to power in Aotearoa, US and Israel over their complicity in genocide have at last been given the platform that those in Parliament, the media and diplomacy have sought to silence.” Jane Kelsey - Emeritus Professor of Law, Auckland University, Aotearoa / New Zealand
With the NZ International Film Festival not selecting Sitting On The Fence it can now finally be released online in NZ.
The film can be viewed at this link www.sittingonthefence.tv. Please share on your social media networks.
Your KiwiSaver may be funding violations of Palestinian rights
Important message from Barry Coates – founder and CEO of Mindful Money
(Website: mindfulmoney.nz. Join our mailing list here)
The judgement won by PSNA forcing the NZ Super Fund to review its investments in four companies that violate the rights of Palestinian people was important. It also sends a warning across the bow of KiwiSaver and other investment funds funds. You may not realise it, but your KiwiSaver might be invested in those four companies.
Mindful Money is a charity that tracks investment in KiwiSaver, including companies on the United Nations Human Rights Council database of companies involved in the building and maintenance of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. Our analysis shows there is even more invested in the four companies by KiwiSaver funds than by the NZ Super Fund.
So what can you do? Check your fund – it is free, quick and easy to do so. Go to www.mindfulmoney.nz, type in the name of your KiwiSaver fund into the Fund Checker, click the button ‘Show Companies’ and look for the companies with an OPT symbol. If you see any of those companies in your fund, write to your fund manager (the address is on your KiwiSaver statement) and tell them you don’t want your savings going to those companies.
If you want to shift to a fund that doesn’t invest in those companies, use the Fund Finder to find a Mindful Ethical Fund. You can also use the same website for non-KiwiSaver managed funds.
It’s your money. Don’t let it be used to fund companies that violate human rights.
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
PSNA Groups
National Committee
Website www.PSNA.nz
National Chair – Ben Vorderegger Chair@PSNA.nz
National Spokesperson - Rinad Tamimi Spokesperson@PSNA.nz
National Secretary – Anne Hare Secretary@PSNA.nz
National Campaign Coordinator - John Minto Campaigns@PSNA.nz
National Admin - Neil Scott Admin@PSNA.nz
Regional Groups
Bay of Islands PSN Bay of Islands Facebook
Whangarei PSN Whangarei Facebook
Warkworth PSN Warkworth email
Auckland PSN Auckland – Tamaki Makaurau Website
Waiheke Island Stand with Palestine Waiheke email
Thames Voices for Palestine - Hauraki Facebook
Hamilton Palestine Human Rights Campaign Waikato Facebook
Hamilton Palestine Awareness Waikato Facebook
Raglan PSN Raglan email
Cambridge PSN Cambridge email
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 4 Palestine Facebook
Whakatane Whakatāne Mō Palestine email
Rotorua PSN Rotorua email
Gisborne PSN Gisborne email
Napier/Hastings Aotearoa Standing with Palestine Facebook
Hawkes Bay PSN-Hawkes Bay – Page
PSN-Hawkes Bay - Group Facebook
Palmerston North PSN Palmerston North email
New Plymouth PSN Taranaki Facebook
Whanganui Whanganui@PSNA.nz email
Masterton masterton@psna.nz email
Martinborough PSN Martinborough email
Wellington PSN Wellington email
Nelson Te Tau Ihu (Nelson) Palestine Facebook
Marlborough PSN Marlborough email
Greymouth PSN Greymouth email
Christchurch PSN Christchurch Facebook
Timaru PSN Timaru email
Wanaka PSN Wanaka email
Queenstown PSN Queenstown
PSN Queenstown Email
Dunedin Dunedin for Justice in Palestine Facebook
Invercargill Invercargill Stands with Palestine