PSNA has written to the Prime Minister today urging the government to vote against the removal of the International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, and instead insist that proper judicial process be followed regarding allegations made against him.

“This is a pivotal moment for the International Criminal Court and New Zealand must stand up for our values and our support for international law” says PSNA Spokesperson Rinad Tamimi. “We are not making any judgement on the allegations against Mr Khan, but New Zealand must insist a proper judicial process be followed”

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PSNA is accusing Foreign Minister Winston Peters of staying silent on the explosive UN Independent Commission report on Israel’s deliberate targeting of Palestinian children so it wouldn’t interfere with his first meeting with the new US ambassador – pictured above.

“It’s clear to us the two are linked” says PSNA National spokesperson Rinad Tamimi. “Winston Peters would see this as clever politics but his refusal to condemn Israel’s targeting of Palestinian children has betrayed New Zealand values in favour of obeyance to Israel and the US.”

In the report released by the United Nations Independent Commission late last month, in the leadup to Peters’ first meeting with the ambassador, Israel is accused of deliberately killing Palestinian children in Occupied Gaza and the Occupied West Bank using sniper rifles and quadcopter drones.

“We are living in a time of great shame for this country. Our people are on the right side but our Foreign Minister is on side with the genocide”

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PSNA is accusing ACT Party leader David Seymour of crying “crocodile tears” for children who may have been present at a Palestine solidarity protest at a toy store in Wellington this afternoon.

Seymour was launching a policy on toy safety. Video of the protest is here.

Seymour’s Senior Private Secretary Rachel Beauchamp wrote to PSNA immediately after the protest to complain that if children had been at the toy store it could have been “frightening and distressing” for them.

“We disagree” says PSNA National Spokesperson Rinad Tamimi. “The problem here is not hypothetical children who could have been upset.”

“The real problem is Palestinian children Israel is targeted and killing in Occupied Gaza and the West Bank, with not a murmur of protest from Mr Seymour.”

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PSNA is challenging the government to obtain medical records held in Türkiye to prove the truth of Global Sumud Flotilla activist Hāhona Ormsby’s claim that he was beaten and injured by Israeli guards in Israel in late April.

In a confrontation at today’s hearing of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Select Committee, Peters claimed Ormsby’s charges against Israel were ‘bulldust’.

“But when other countries, such as Italy, Malaysia, France and Australia, are actively investigating Israeli torture against their citizens, then the New Zealand government position, that Peters’ claims against Israel are lies, is untenable.”

“There are plenty of witnesses who will testify that Israeli Prisons’ Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir personally spat on Ormsby when he was held in Israeli detention.”

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The non-confidential payout received this week follows negotiations after last year’s IPCA (Independent Police Conduct Authority) report finding that police use of pepper spray against Mr Minto at a protest on 6 February 2024 was “excessive use of force and therefore unjustified”. 

The Authority also found that Minto’s “arrest for obstruction was unlawful” and “that the force used against you and your arrest were both unlawful”.

“I’m pleased this issue is now resolved but disturbed that even after the IPCA report the police have not accepted responsibility for what in this instance was thuggish behaviour” says Minto.

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PSNA has requested the agency investigate a second police decision not to prosecute a pro-Israeli supporter for slashing two tyres on a Palestine supporter’s car in Raglan in mid-April. 

The Police Commissioner Richard Chambers last week agreed to have police look at an initial decision, according to PSNA spokesperson Rinad Tamimi.

“But yesterday’s response, was that the police were sticking to their original decision not to prosecute the Auckland businessman, despite the man admitting he did slash the tyres.”

“All that was going to happen, was that he would appear before a local diversion committee.  This for an act that could have easily led to the driver having an accident with tragic consequences.”

“We are shocked at this.  If the situation were reversed, and a pro-Israel supporter had their tyres slashed, the police, the news media and politicians would all be in a frenzy claiming it as a violent, antisemitic attack which endangered Jewish lives.”

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PSNA is demanding police charge a pro-Israel tyre slasher, after he slashed two tyres on a Palestine supporter’s car in Raglan during a pro-Palestine protest in mid April.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says Police told the victim they will not charge the Auckland businessman

“We are flabbergasted at the double standard. Five of our supporters in Christchurch were charged with wilful damage last year after placing small stickers onto the window of a central city business”.

“Since when is slashing tyres given a free pass but putting stickers on a window demands prosecution?” says Minto.

“The police denied any bias in their policing, but this tyre-slasher case underlines the shocking prejudice at some police levels.”

“If the situation were reversed and a pro-Israel supporter had their tyres slashed the police, media and politicians would be in a frenzy claiming it as a violent, anti-semitic attack which endangered Jewish lives”

“We have written to the Police Commissioner Richard Chambers to demand prosecution of the tyre slasher.”

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PSNA is to picket the Fijian High Commission in Wellington and Consulate in Auckland tomorrow at 12.30pm (June 2) to protest at Israel opening its first Pacific Islands’ Embassy in Suva.

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says it is acting in solidarity with a call from the Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network in Fiji.

Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar is scheduled to cut the ribbon to open the embassy at 5pm.

PSNA spokesperson Rinad Tamimi says while the rest of the world is distancing itself from Israel for its genocide in Gaza, illegal settlements on the West Bank and invasion of Lebanon, Fiji is deepening its ties with the Netanyahu regime.

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PSNA has congratulated Winston Peters for calling-in the Israeli ambassador, as the first step in New Zealand imposing meaningful sanctions on Israel.

“It’s about time he made this first step to show Israel it can’t continue to flout international law,” says PSNA National Spokesperson Rinad Tamimi.

“These breaches include violent assaults on heroic New Zealanders trying to get desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

“These heroic New Zealanders represent the very best of New Zealand values of care and compassion”

 “Two of our kiwis, Mousa Taher and Julien Blondel, had already suffered brutality at the hands of the Israeli military, on an earlier flotilla boat last month. Mr Peters refused then to speak out then against the bashings Israel meted out on these brave New Zealanders.”

 “This is the first time in more than 2 ½ years of genocidal attacks on Palestinians that Mr Peters has called in the Israeli ambassador”.

 “Up ‘till now he’s done nothing.  And it’s not though he’s not spoiled for recent choice.”

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Nobody wants to share building with Genocide Embassy of Israel

PSNA says the shift of the Israeli embassy into the Fisher Funds building in Wellington has concerned other tenants in the office high rise.

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is citing the Wellington Post front-page article which reported only some occupants of the 13-storey site had been told that Israel was moving in.

PSNA spokesperson Rinad Tamimi says the building’s owner was obviously trying to keep the arrival of the embassy a secret until it was too late to object.

“It’s pretty obvious why.  The Fisher Funds building is owned by Prime Property Group, which is controlled by rich-lister and former Israeli Defence Force major, Eyal Aharoni.”

“He’s looking after his own.”

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PSNA has demanded the government follow through its demands that Israel complies with international law, after New Zealanders were captured in international waters in the Mediterranean and beaten by the Israeli military.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Spokesperson Rinad Tamimi says the New Zealand government was very explicit in its recent warnings to Israel that New Zealand did not expect a repeat of Israeli forces brutally capturing New Zealanders in international waters while they were trying to deliver aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

“Anyone who has seen the pictures of Invercargill resident Julien Blondel’s face or the reports of Jay O’Connor suffering from concussion and a likely broken rib will know that once more Israel has called the New Zealand government’s bluff.”

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Nicole McKee called to condemn Israel’s bulldozing of New Zealand war graves in Gaza

ACT MP Nicle McKee is being asked to condemn Israel’s deliberate bulldozing of New Zealand war graves in Gaza after the ACT MP posted on Facebook yesterday strong support for looking after New Zealand soldiers’ graves wherever they are.

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The High Court in Auckland has found policies of the NZ Superfund are ‘unreasonable and unlawful’ and fail to properly address human rights issues, when the Fund considers excluding companies from its portfolio of investments.

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa issued judicial review proceedings against the Superfund for its failure to divest its investment in Israeli companies which the UN says are complicit in the Israeli occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

The Court’s just released judgment found:

“The Guardian’s policies fail to meet the basic requirements of the Act (New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001) so far as exclusion from the fund for alleged breach of human rights standards is concerned. They are unreasonable and unlawful. (para 86)[1]

The Guardians have a duty to reformulate the policy documents.  

Once legally compliant policy documents are in place the Guardians will inevitably have to make decisions about the challenged investments in accordance with these policy documents. (para 102)”

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Auckland council votes to investigate sanctioning Israel for war crimes

PSNA has congratulated Auckland City Councillors 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.” 

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Foreign Minister Peters urged to put Palestine at the front of the agenda in Washington

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has just written to Foreign Minister Winston Peters, urging him to put Palestine front and centre in his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington this week.

“The escalating international crisis, which all stems from resistance to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, must be reined in, and pressure from New Zealand should be part of this” says PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal.

“The US will want to recruit New Zealand into the US and Israel war on Iran, and try to get Peters to offer something crazy, like dispatching the New Zealand frigates Te Kaha and Te Mana to help force the Straits of Hormuz.”

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Christchurch City Councilor, Aaron Keown is insisting the police are keen to use the proposed new laws to shift protests on.

 “At a meeting police specifically told our delegation these ‘move-on’ orders would NOT be used to restrict protest rights.”

“So, there is a mass of confusion around over the proposed new law.”

“We need the Justice Minister to use clear wording, when he introduces legislation into Parliament, that anyone exercising their rights under the Bill of Rights Act will not be included.”

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PSNA is deeply saddened by the death of Palestine stalwart Roger Fowler last night.

Roger has been a legend of the solidarity movement for many decades as the founder and co-ordinator of Kia Ora Gaza which delivered humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza strip by land and by sea.

In particular Roger co-ordinated New Zealand participation in many of the “flotillas to Gaza” which aimed to break Israel’s illegal siege. He was a leader of the overland convoy in 2012 which brought 14 ambulances into Gaza, three of which were paid for and stocked by donations from New Zealanders, to the service of the people of Gaza.

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PSNA is calling for government accountability to stop and punish New Zealanders going to fight in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

A UK report by Classified, from official Israeli sources, shows 39 dual New Zealand/Israeli citizens, and 11 others with more than one additional passport, are serving in the Israeli Defence Force, which is carrying out genocide in Gaza. (The full dataset is in Hebrew at the foot of the article at this link) 

“The news that New Zealanders are participating in ongoing mass killing and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza is abhorent,” says Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-Chair Maher Nazzal. “Our government must do what it can to stop these New Zealanders perpetrating genocide.”

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PSNA is calling on the government to condemn Israel’s desecration of New Zealand war graves in Gaza.

Israeli bulldozing of the graves was confirmed last week but the New Zealand government has not responded with any comment.

Palestinian Essam Jaradah, who has tended the New Zealand graves for 45 years, confirmed their destruction in an interview with the Guardian newspaper.

“Common decency demands we condemn Israel for this abuse of our war dead,” says Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-Chair John Minto. “If it happened anywhere else in the world the government would register shock and be appalled.”

“Australia has spoken out but nothing from New Zealand. No protest expressed, no demand Israel apologise, no request for access to inspect the damage.  Nothing.”

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Rejecting Board of Peace right decision but no excuse for NZ to disengage on Palestine

PSNA says for once the New Zealand government has made a good decision for Gaza by refusing to join Trump’s Board of Peace.

But PSNA also says New Zealand must continue to push for complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, full resumption of humanitarian aid and a realisation of the basic human rights for Palestinians everywhere, including a right of return.

Co-Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, John Minto says a complete absence of any elected Palestinians in implementing the Gaza Peace Plan doomed it from the start.

“But then Trump mission-crept his Board of Peace into a personal global fiefdom, as an alternative to the United Nations. His claim to bring peace to the whole world, sounds as imbecilic as a speech from a Miss World contestant.”

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