Help reverse Pacifica voting at the United Nations
Seven negative Pacifica votes made up half of the whole world’s 14 votes to oppose a demand that Israel withdraw from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York a year ago.
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Tonga, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau, sided with Israel, and against 124 counties (including New Zealand) who voted for the resolution.
Samoa, Kiribati, and Vanuatu abstained, though Vanuatu was one of 79 country signatories to a declaration in support of the International Criminal Court when the US and Israel questioned its jurisdiction. Vanuatu also made a submission to the ICJ in May 2025.
The General Assembly will meet again next month and will consider Israel’s total failure to comply.
In Gaza the genocidal carnage continues - Israeli troops are preparing to reinvade Gaza City to ethnically cleanse a million people and Israeli aircraft are still terror bombing a famine-devastated community throughout the enclave.
In the Occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers are freely shooting and lynching Palestinians. Israel’s Knesset has just voted to annex the West Bank. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans for building E1, a settlement strategically designed to sever the West Bank irreparably into two parts.
In Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu has just revived proposals for a Greater Israel. That would entail an Israeli invasion of all of Israel’s neighbours and the extinction of at least Lebanon and Jordan, and most of Syria, who in Israel’s eyes have no right to exist.
PSNA is writing to the diplomatic representatives of the Pacifica countries who voted against, or abstained from, the conscience of the world in the United Nations last year.
We have pointed to all of their being members of the IV Geneva Convention, and in the case of Fiji, Tuvalu, and Nauru to also being signatories of the Genocide Convention.
It would be great if PSNA supporters individually also wrote to these High Commissioners and Consuls. Likewise for other Palestine support organisations throughout Aotearoa to also write.
See below a representative letter PSNA has sent to the various high commissions, as a model letter. Please copy and paste text into your email. First check whether the country voted against Palestine 2024 or abstained.
Below that are the contact details for the NZ based Pacifica High Commissioners and Consuls, and their 2024 UNGA votes;
Subject line: Concern for the escalating crisis for the Palestinian people in Gaza
Consulate of the Kingdom of Tonga
saho@xtra.co.nz
Mr Lenisiloti Sitafooti Aho
Dear Mr Aho,
We write to you out of deep concern for the escalating crisis for the Palestinian people in Gaza under a relentless campaign by Israel of genocide through military attacks, starvation and ethnic cleansing.
We wish to remind you of the emergency session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on 17 September 2024. The meeting adopted a resolution, by 124 votes in favour, 43 abstentions and 14 against, demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) within 12 months.
This resolution followed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issuing an Advisory Opinion in July 2024 that the Israeli occupation was unlawful.
The UNGA resolution also required Israel to;
Cease all new settlement activities.
Evacuate all settlers from occupied land.
Dismantle parts of the separation wall constructed in the West Bank.
Return land and cultural property taken since the occupation began in 1967.
Half of the votes were against the resolution. It was most disappointing to see that the Kingdom of Tonga was one of them.
These positions and actions by Tonga stand as an obstacle to the achievement of Palestinian rights which have been denied for 77 years.
Heeding diplomatic reservations such as these, the response of Israel, to the ICJ advisory, the UNGA vote last year and worldwide government objections and civil protests, has been to ignore them.
In the Occupied West Bank, settlers are shooting and lynching Palestinians. Israel’s Knesset has just voted to annex the West Bank, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans for E1, a settlement strategically designed to sever the West Bank irreparably into two parts.”
In Gaza, Israeli troops are preparing to reinvade Gaza City to ethnically cleanse a million people and Israeli aircraft are still terror bombing a famine devastated community,”
Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu has just addressed proposals for a Greater Israel. That would entail an invasion of all of Israel’s neighbours and the extinction of at least Lebanon and Jordan.
Within the context of the desirability for smaller countries of upholding a rules-based international order, Tonga is a state party to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
These instruments mandate Tonga, and all other state parties, to take steps to ensure international compliance with the GCIV.
Our request is that therefore Tonga reverses its vote and stands in vigorous support of Palestinian rights in the upcoming 80th regular session of the General Assembly in New York in September.
This is not the time for further acquiescence to Israeli genocide. It is the time for concerted international action, including that of Pacifica countries, to materially assist in alleviating a further catastrophe for the Palestinian people.
<your name>
<your location - eg Tamaki Makaurau>
Below are the contact details for the NZ based Pacifica High Commissioners and Consuls, and their 2024 UNGA votes. Obviously, a different letter is required if you want them to change their vote from ‘against’ to ‘for’, as compared with changing from ‘abstain’ to ‘for’;
Vote 2024 Abstain
High Commission of the Republic of Vanuatu
vhcwellington@vanuatu.gov.vu
His Excellency Mr Jimmy Nipo
Vote 2024 Abstain
Kiribati's Consulate
ben.otang@gmail.com
Mr Ben Otang, Honorary Consul
Vote 2024 Abstain
High Commission for the Independent State of Samoa
info@samoa.org.nz
His Excellency Mr Afamasaga Faamatalaupu Toleafoa
Vote 2024 Against
High Commission of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Contact details
office@png.org.nz
His Excellency Mr Sakias Tameo
Vote 2024 Against
High Commission of the Republic of Nauru
nauru.highcomm@canberra.gov.nr
Her Excellency Mrs Camilla Solomon
Vote 2024 Against
High Commission for Tuvalu
info@tuvaluhc.org.nz
His Excellency Mr Feue Tipu
Vote 2024 Against
Consulate of the Kingdom of Tonga
saho@xtra.co.nz
Mr Lenisiloti Sitafooti Aho
Vote 2024 Against
High Commission for the Republic of Fiji
lviti.fhc@gmail.com
Ratu Inoke Kubuabola