PSNA Refers Aotearoa New Zealand Government Ministers And Business Leaders The International Criminal Court

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has just filed a referral to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. It accuses four New Zealand government ministers and two business leaders of criminal complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by assisting Israel’s mass killing and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-Chairs, John Minto and Maher Nazzal say the referral carefully outlines a case that these six individuals should be investigated by the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICC for the contributions they have knowingly made to Israel’s crimes in Gaza.

“The 103-page referral document was prepared by a legal team which has been working on the case for many months. It is legally robust and will provide the Prosecutor of the ICC more than sufficient documentation to begin their investigation.”

“This is a grave step which we have not taken lightly” Minto and Nazzal says. “But the government’s ongoing and meaningful support for Israel, despite its horrendous war crimes, is not only egregious to most New Zealanders, but is also criminal conduct under international law.”

Minto and Nazzal say the referral follows a ‘letter of demand’ issued to the government in 2024 outlining the actions that a reasonable government would take to prevent and punish the crime of genocide, and the actions the government should take to avoid criminal complicity with Israel.

“For 20 months these political and business leaders have supported Israel to commit crimes which have shocked the human conscience.”

“This has brought shame on the whole country.”

“Even today, Palestinians – mostly women and children, are being killed, and the key individuals who have helped to make this nightmare possible must themselves be held to account.”

“We believe this is the first time New Zealand political and business leaders have been referred to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. We hope it is the last.”

*Two points of explanation:

Genocide: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, top international genocide scholars and the United Nations Special Committee to investigate Israel’s practices have all condemned Israel’s actions as genocide.

Individual criminal responsibility: Under the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court these six people are individually criminally responsible for their actions and inactions irrespective of their positions as elected politicians or appointed business leaders.

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