A talk with a Palestinian lawyer in Ramallah

August 17, 2022 by  

In 2018, we had the opportunity to visit Ramallah with our German friend, former journalist, Johannes Gerloff. We had just visited Yasser Arafat’s tomb and were returning to our car when we encountered a rather irate Palestinian lawyer who was happy to engage with us and what he shared was revealing. Read more

Questioning Israel’s Right To Exist

April 4, 2022 by  

The Survey of Antisemitism in New Zealand 2021 was released last week by the New Zealand Jewish Council. The survey covers a range of manifestations of antisemitism including far-right nationalist, Islamic, leftist and anti-Zionist. Read more

NZ Indigenous coalition queries why New Zealand does not have an embassy in Israel

September 20, 2021 by  

Indigenous Coalition for Israel is urging New Zealand to follow the example of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco and pursue a closer bi-lateral relationship with Israel.

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Durban: “nothing to discuss”

September 6, 2021 by  

Less than a month out from the infamous Durban conference, former National Party MP, Alfred Ngaro has spoken out on the government’s equivocation over whether NZ will attend the 20th anniversary of a conference that purported to address racism and tolerance but quickly descended into an antisemitic hate-fest. Read more

No peace until Jewish presence accepted

July 7, 2020 by  

In 2018 I visited Ramallah with two colleagues. In an unanticipated conversation on a street very near Arafat’s tomb, a friendly and engaging Palestinian lawyer explained to us that their leaders were like gangs, they were corrupt and ‘monopolise the money’. Read more

Maoris apologise to Israel

August 1, 2018 by  

History was made on 29 July 2018 when the indigenous people of New Zealand organised a special ceremony to honour and welcome the Israeli ambassador, His Excellency Dr. Itzhak Gerberg. Read more

United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Tirau

January 29, 2016 by  

A United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day (UNIHRD) event was held this week in the tiny New Zealand South Waikato town of Tirau, (population 690). Over 120 people attended the event, filling the local (and only) church in town, Tirau Cooperating Church, a combined Presbyterian and Anglican Church. Read more

ISIL: A Copycat of Israel?…asks Sheree Trotter

July 13, 2015 by  

‘Israel has really set the benchmark for barbarism in the area and many other despots and dictators, such as the one in Syria, Egypt, and even ISIL are really copycats of the Israeli occupation and siege and brutality.’ [1]  These are the words of Kia Ora Gaza’s Roger Fowler, in his recent appearance on New Zealand’s Māori TV’s Native Affairs programme. Read more