Whose Values Do You Mean, Winston And Judith?

A demonstration organised by Justice for Palestine made a lot of noise outside Defence House, behind Parliament, a couple of weeks ago. We were protesting about the 6-month extension of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) troops’ deployment to the Red Sea.

New Zealand has been helping US and UK efforts to crush Houthi opposition to Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza – unbelievably still going strong after 9 months with over 40,000 deaths so far accounted for. Houthis from Yemen have been successfully blockading the Red Sea shipping lanes in order to pressure western powers into forcing an Israeli ceasefire. Apparently commercial disruption is so much worse a crime than genocide.

Defence Minister Judith Collins said that the decision to extend the NZDF deployment was "reflective of the continued need to partner and act in line with New Zealand's values.” Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said ongoing Houthi attacks on international shipping "are illegal, against our values and continue to affect New Zealand's economy".

This talk of our New Zealand values is interesting – what are ‘our values’? Winston’s and Judith’s don’t seem to be the same as the public’s but instead chime with those of the US. These values place commerce and money as well as US strategic military interests over the wellbeing, and the very existence, of ordinary, and especially foreign, people.

Back in January the Government issued the statement: “We will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways.” In January Peters said that Houthi attacks are “illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising.”

As Justice for Palestine’s Samira Zaiton pointed out, these statements about the illegality of Houthi attacks are breathtakingly hypocritical, as is the Government’s proclaimed outrage this week over Russia’s bombing of one hospital. The Government says nothing at all about Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s entire health infrastructure and its “illegal and profoundly destabilising” actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

What I would expect from our government on Palestine is an independent and moral stand against the brutal assault on the entire population of Gaza:

a. Withdraw NZ troops from the Red Sea

b. Call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

c. Stand with the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Spain in recognising the Palestinian state.

d. Accept our obligation under the International Court of Justice ruling 19 th July “not to recognize as legal the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Territories and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation”

e. Restore and increase funding to UNWRA

f. Call in the Israeli Ambassador to NZ to talk to the PM and hear our condemnation; if feasible expel him.

g. Call genocide by its name.

h. Divest our public sector of Israeli products and influence.

i. Distance ourselves from the Middle Eastern interests of the US.

New Zealand’s equivocal stance on Palestine is part of a wider problem: our independent foreign policy is being undermined.

Helen Clark and Don Brash put out a statement to express their horror at Luxon’s rash and undiplomatic statements in America recently. He was uncomplimentary about China and stated that New Zealand was now "very open" to participating in AUKUS Pillar 2, a defence partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and United States; and that the NZDF would be a "force multiplier for Australia and the US and other partners".

These statements propel us closer to the US, insult China, and take us a significant step away from an independent foreign policy. It seems from what Luxon has said, or has not denied, that AUKUS II will be imposed on us without public discussion/input.

How mad is it to hitch our wagon to a bellicose superpower on its destructive way down, while insulting and provoking another superpower - China - which is a) on the way up, b) our primary export market and c) in our backyard? It is in our security and economic interests to promote a peaceful and balanced Pacific region, and not to fight other people’s wars.

We need to be independent again and formulate our own foreign policy based on what is good for our country and peace in the Pacific. And instead of following the US/Israel lead on Gaza and into conflict and destabilisation, we should place ourselves on the “right side of History”. Conveniently, the ‘values’ we should be upholding also reflect what is in New Zealand’s best interests.

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