Greens court controversy with ‘Sanction Israel’ arm patch

The NZ Green Party is facing renewed criticism from New Zealand’s Jewish community after proudly promoting an image of one of its MPs dressed head-to-toe in black, wearing a “Sanction Israel” patch prominently on his upper arm.

The image, highlighted with a red circle on the party’s official social media channels, has been described as inflammatory and deeply troubling.

The decision to showcase such a visual is more than a simple lapse in political judgment. The positioning of the patch — in the style of a military insignia or armband — adds a militant undertone to the message. For many, especially in the Jewish community, this evokes uncomfortable historical parallels that no political party should wish to summon.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of the Greens’ previous tensions with New Zealand’s Jewish community. Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick has already been involved in Human Rights Commission mediation over her use of the slogan “From the river to the sea,” a phrase widely understood as calling for the eradication of Israel. Swarbrick also ignored concerns from Jewish constituents in her own electorate over the harm caused by such rhetoric.

Calls to “Sanction Israel” sit uneasily with the Greens’ self-styled image as a principled defender of human rights. The singling out of Israel — while ignoring countries with far worse human rights records — reflects a troubling double standard. Iran’s persecution of women, China’s repression of Uyghur Muslims, and North Korea’s systemic atrocities provoke no equivalent Green Party campaigns.

For Jewish New Zealanders, this is not an abstract debate about foreign policy. It is about whether a mainstream political party will amplify messages and imagery that contribute to their marginalisation. The fact that the Greens not only allowed this image to be taken, but actively promoted it, sends a signal — intentional or not — that their ideological opposition to Israel outweighs concern for the Jewish community’s safety and dignity.

The Greens may believe they are advancing a cause. In reality, they are reinforcing perceptions of selective morality and eroding trust with a vulnerable minority. In politics, as in life, the images you choose to elevate speak volumes. On this occasion, the message was clear — and deeply divisive.

 

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