Wellington Palestine Group
Press Release – 1 June 2010

New Zealand Must Condemn Israel’s Brutal Crimes

The Wellington Palestine Group has called on the New Zealand government to summon the Israeli ambassador for a reprimand over the Israeli commando raid on the humanitarian flotilla sailing for Gaza.

Spokesperson, Omar Hamed, says it's convenient that Israel has just appointed a new ambassador to Wellington.

"We protested at the time Mr Tzur arrived here, but now he's here, he needs dragging along The Terrace to get a dressing down at parliament for an act of international piracy", Mr Hamed says.

"The flotilla was still on the high seas on a mercy mission to bring vital supplies to the civilian population of besieged Gaza. The Gaza Palestinians are mostly refugees from Israeli occupation and have endured years of suffering under a brutal Israeli blockade. Now, when a shipload of good Samaritans try to help, the Israelis send their commandos out to murder the good Samaritans."

Mr Hamed says the Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, may historically be a friend of Israel. But Mr Hamed says Israel's illegal and brutal attacks on defenseless humanitarians have outraged even Israel's friends.

Mr Hamed says calling in an ambassador for a reprimand is a well established diplomatic action, and cited the New Zealand government calling in the French ambassador every time the French conducted a nuclear bomb test in the Pacific, as an example.

Mr Hamed says Murray McCully should join the rest of the international community and demand that the Israeli ambassador convey a message that Israel must lift its siege on Gaza and cease illegal settlement building elsewhere in occupied Palestinian territory.

ENDS