Brownlee's approach to Israelbetrays UNSC Resolution 2334

PHRC Press Release | 4 May 2017

www.palestine.org.nz

According to the Jerusalem Post of 3 May 2017 the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Gerry Brownlee has written a letter to Mr Netanyahu with congratulations on the Zionist state's National Day, expressing a desire for the “Israeli-New Zealand relationship to get back on track.” Brownlee failed to ask Netanyahu to explain his threat to interpret New Zealand’s sponsorship of UNSC 2334 as a “declaration of war” and the hostile postponement of travel rights for New Zealand’s ambassador to Israel.

Instead of reminding Netanyahu of Israel's duty under international law to stop illegal settlement development in the Palestinian West Bank, Brownlee obsequiously begged to restore the relationship as if it were New Zealand that was somehow at fault. Our new Foreign Affairs Minister then went on to spinelessly express a desire for “the Israeli-New Zealand relationship to get back on track and to do that by recognising that we’ve got synergies and innovation and agriculture and various other things like that.”

Respect for human rights and the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention are the most essential elements in international relations. Granting Israel eternal impunity from its violations of these principles can only condemn the Zionist state's victims to endless misery and injustice. Brownleemust be reminded that his duty is promote respect and compliance with UNSC Resolution 2334.

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