Winston Peters’ refusal to join other 79 countries trying to protect the International Criminal Court after vicious attacks and sanctions issued by US President Trump is unconscionable.

“Endless New Zealand politicians, including the present government, have pointed to our support for a rules-based international system” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “The ICC is a key part of that system but Winston Peters has jettisoned this policy in favour of a US-First approach; rather than a New Zealand-First approach”

In fact, we can find no evidence that Peters has ever uttered a word of real criticism of the US in his entire political career.

Within the past two weeks Winston Peters has

• Openly welcomed Israeli soldiers and Israeli war criminals coming into New Zealand, with no questions asked, for “rest and recreation” from their genocide in Gaza
• Refused to condemn Trump’s racist plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza so his son-in-law can turn it into a "Riviera of the Middle East'. This is an intended international crime of epic proportion, and now
• Refused to join 79 countries supporting the International Criminal Court against Trump's actions

“The countries we are refusing to join in criticising Trump include two other Five Eyes countries, the UK and Canada, as well as Germany, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherlands, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Spain etc”

“Winston Peters has put New Zealand in the hard-right international minority extremist camp with Trump” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “This is creepy and cowardly complicity with a state whose values we do not share.”

"Winston Peters' ministry has been at great pains over the past year to state how much our government supports the work of the ICC. The MFAT website states “We have also been clear in our support of the International Criminal Court's mandate in Palestine”

"But when the ICC issues arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity, our government goes completely silent."

“Will Winston Peters now copy his master and revoke an immigration ban on 33 Israeli settlers responsible for leading pogroms against Palestinian communities in the Occupied West Bank, as Trump did a few days ago?”

“US policy towards Palestine underlines the case for New Zealand to leave the Five Eyes US international spy network.”

"An independent foreign policy means making our own decisions and working with the great majority of like-minded countries who support international institutions, such as the ICC and the International Court of Justice."

"Instead, we have a foreign minister who is in the US pocket and blindly working for the interests of Trump and his robber barons.”

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