On the eve of Winston Peters’ trip to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is reminding our Foreign Minister that New Zealand upholds a rules-based international system.

“We want Mr Peters to remind the US administration that the rules apply to Gaza as well” says PSNA Co-chair John Minto. “Mr Peters should be suggesting to the US that it should stand up to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”

“The US helped broker a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas less than two months ago. Key to that deal was Israel allowing in humanitarian aid”

“Eleven days ago, Israel shut off all food, water and fuel entering Gaza, and now it’s just turned off the electricity, which is vital to desalinate salt water and pump water supplies”

“More Palestinians will die of starvation and thirst in Gaza, just so Israel can try to avoid a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza which are part of stage two of the January ceasefire agreement”

Minto says Trump has publicly shown his differences with Ukraine President Zelensky.

“But he can’t seem to do the same with Israel and the Israeli lobby. He even puts up with Israel complaining when the US has direct negotiations with Hamas to release American hostages.”

Minto says Trump’s own Gaza plan is unacceptable too.

“Trump is right. Gaza is in ruins. But if some people need to move as a result, then they should be allowed to go back to their homes in Israel. New Zealand votes every year in the United Nations for this to happen. It’s time to put it into practice.”

PSNA has just posted an open letter to Winton Peters on its website, inviting people to add their names to a demand that Peters condemn Israel’s humanitarian blockade on Gaza and the US/Israel plan to ethnically cleanse the territory of its Palestinian population.”

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