Defunding UNRWA is another heinous act of genocide! Protest NZ Shitfuckery on Gaza!!!

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Fresh from sending New Zealand military personnel to the US-led war on Yemen last week, the government has this week all but ignored the preliminary findings of the International Court of Justice that there is a prima facie case that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people and has made the despicable decision to put a halt on New Zealand funding for UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) which provides humanitarian support for Palestinians.
 
New Zealand joining the war on Yemen is in defence of Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza. The Houthi group in Yemen have been attacking Israeli-linked ships bringing arms and equipment to help Israel’s apartheid regime from waging genocide against Palestinians. The Houthis have made it clear the attacks will stop when there is a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. But instead of calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, our government is waging war on those calling for a ceasefire!

On the International Court of Justice finding that there is a prima facie case that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made a few obligatory tweets but said no more. He should be loudly demanding accountability for Israel’s war crimes but his loyalty to the US trumps any concern he may have with genocide of Palestinians.
 
However this week the government outdid its previous displays of anti-Palestinian racism with the despicable decision to put a halt on New Zealand funding for UNRWA. Since the initial announcement Winston Peters has tried to soften the government’s position but the substance has not changed.
 
On Tuesday this week PSNA issued the following media release:
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PSNA angry and disgusted at government decision to halt funding to UNRWA

PSNA is angry and disgusted at the government decision to halt funding to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) over Israeli allegations a handful of its 30,000 staff were involved in the October 7th attack on Israel.

It’s clear UNRWA was not involved as an organisation and yet the Palestinian people of Gaza are once again to face “collective punishment” – this time with New Zealand acting alongside apartheid Israel to deny desperately-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.

UNRWA is already “extremely desperate” after its funding has been halted by other countries

“It’s an outrageous decision given the dire humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. New Zealand is joining the Israel/US stranglehold on humanitarian relief for Gaza,” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “The decision means we are part of Israel’s war crime of “collective punishment” against the Palestinian people of Gaza”.

Israel’s incessant attacks on UNRWA are designed to take attention away from last Friday’s interim orders from the International Court of Justice which found a prima facie case that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

As a signatory to the Genocide Convention New Zealand has a responsibility to PREVENT genocide and yet the PMs focus is on attacking an agency providing relief for Palestinians who are the victims of these genocidal attacks.”

Why are Israeli attacks on UNRWA so much more important for the Prime Minister than genocide committed against the Palestinian people?

It’s immoral, unethical and downright despicable.

This is a victory for the deeply racist pro-Israel lobby and their anti-Palestinian enablers in parliament.

John Minto,  National Chair,  Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa