PSNA has written to Foreign Minister Winston Peters this morning seeking an assurance New Zealand is not taking part in the US-instigated “Operation Prosperity Guardian” in the Rea Sea.

The PSNA approach comes after US claims that 20 countries have now joined this “coalition of the willing” but many countries have “declined to be publicly named, in a sign of political sensitivities of the operation…”

The purpose of the coalition is to provide naval patrols for commercial shipping in the Red Sea which has come under attack from Houthi forces in Yemen which are pressuring for an end to Israel’s genocidal rampage in Gaza.

Four of the other five-eyes countries (US, UK, Australia and Canada) are providing support. Australia for example is providing 11 military personnel but there is no word of New Zealand involvement to date.

“New Zealand must pressure the terrible twins – the US and Israel – to end their war on Palestinian civilians” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “Demanding a ceasefire in Gaza is the best way to protect both Palestinians under relentless Israeli bombardment as well as international shipping.”

“This coalition is in place specifically to allow Israel to continue its rampage in Gaza – the opposite of what New Zealanders want”.

Meanwhile Israel is taking advantage of western distraction with Christmas to intensify attacks on Palestinians. Christmas weekend took a deadly toll on Gaza, with 250 Palestinians killed, including 70 who died in a strike at a refugee camp.

For 11 weeks New Zealand has maintained a morally-repugnant silence to this wholesale slaughter of innocents in Gaza.

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