Tēna Kōrua PM Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters

We, as Tangata Whenua who stand with Israel, along with many Indigenous peoples around the world, have watched the unfolding drama with Minto’s “genocide hotline” and the controversy over the entry requirements for Israelis. We are grateful that Minister Winston Peters has condemned the hotline and assured us that the government has not introduced restrictions pertaining to Israelis visiting this country. 

However, we have been deeply saddened over New Zealand’s stance on Israel in recent months. We are wondering why NZ has consistently, even under your leadership, voted against Israel at the UN. 

• Why did NZ vote for the UN resolution which requires Jews to leave their ancestral indigenous lands, including the most sacred places in Judaism, within one year?
• Why did PM Luxon state that he would have PM Benjamin Netanyahu arrested as a result of an ICC ruling, a ruling which the United States declared it "fundamentally rejects", noting that "the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter"? Indeed, President Joe Biden called the arrest warrant for Netanyahu "outrageous".
• Why are we still supporting UNRWA, when we’ve seen evidence after evidence of complicity with Hamas?

We understand the world is upset about the toll on Gazan civilians, but let us remind you that there was a ceasefire on 6 October 2023. Hamas orchestrated a well organised barbaric campaign of atrocities against innocent civilians on 7 October, with the direct involvement of Gazan civilians and UNRWA staff. Hamas has cynically used its own people as fodder for its war aims, while Israel, as military experts concur, has done more than any other army in the history of warfare to avoid non-combatant casualties in Gaza. 

Not only is Israel the sole democratic nation in the Middle East, fighting a defensive war against radical extremist terrorist groups committed to wiping her off the map, she is also an Indigenous people in her ancestral lands. She has every right to be there, to exercise self determination in those homelands, and to defend herself against attack from her genocidal enemies.

We call on the government to turn away from the politically expedient but unjust treatment of Israel, respect her Indigenous rights in her ancestral land and uphold standards of justice for all the peoples of the Middle East. There will be no peace as long as western countries continue to impose double standards on Israel, while turning a blind eye to the atrocities of Hamas and the complicity of its western enablers. 

Finally, we as tangata whenua (people of the land) warmly welcome Israeli manuhiri (visitors) to our land. We represent the Indigenous of this land who stand with Israel. 

He honore he kororia ki te Atua
He maungarongo ki te whenua
He whakaaro pai ki nga tangata katoa
Nau mai, haere mai, whakatau mai ki koutou ra nga manuhiri tuarangi.
To our Israeli visitors and Jewish communities we welcome you to Aotearoa New Zealand:
As tangata whenua it's our desire that your visit to our beautiful country will be an experience of warmth, hospitality, safety and blessing.
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou,
Therefore we welcome you once, twice, thrice welcome.
Tena koutou nau mai whakatau mai 

Dr Sheree Trotter 
Hon Alfred Ngaro

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