Statement on recent situation on the Israel-Gaza border

Media Statement on recent situation on the Israel-Gaza border by the Zionist Federation of New Zealand

21 May 2018

(Palestinians breech Gaza-Israel border fence)

Over the last three months, Hamas have orchestrated attempts to infiltrate Israel with the stated aim to attack, kidnap and kill Israelis. They have ordered their operatives to hide behind women and children to reduce the chance being killed or injured by the Israel Defense Force (IDF). Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader in Gaza even went on a Gaza TV channel stating in Arabic, "When we decided to embark on these marches, we decided to turn that which is most dear to us – the bodies of our women and children – into a dam blocking the collapse in Arab reality”.

On Monday 14 May, these violent demonstrations resulted in the IDF killing 62 Palestinian Arabs from Gaza. The world’s press went into a frenzy, blaming Israel for a “massacre”, condemning the IDF for using live bullets and accusing it of war crimes. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern when asked about Monday’s clashes responded saying it was a “devastating one-sided loss of life”.

Where was the Prime Minister’s condemnation of Hamas for leading these anything but 'peaceful' riots?

Where was the Prime Minister’s acknowledgment of their aim to kill innocent Jews?

No less than 2 days later on May 16 on Baladna TV, which broadcasts from Gaza, Hamas political bureau member Salah Al-Bardawil admitted that 50 of the 62 dead where Hamas operatives. Since then, Islamic Jihad have claimed 3 of the remaining 12 were their members. This means that 85% of those killed on Monday were terrorists trying to infiltrate Israel using civilians from Gaza, including women and children, as human shields in order to cross the border to kill Israelis. It is only through the professionalism and dedication to life by the IDF that kept the numbers of civilians casualties down.

On the topic of ‘disproportionality’ or the “one-sided loss of life’ as described by our Prime Minister, would Monday’s events have been better if Israeli Jews had also died? Would this have made the response by the IDF against Hamas, an organisation recognised by New Zealand as a terrorist group, more palatable?

The Zionist Federation of New Zealand stands fully behind Israel and their right to protect their borders from terrorists. The ZFNZ mourns, as Israelis do, the loss of innocent life to which Hamas and not Israel should be held responsible. The ZFNZ supports a two-state solution for two peoples but for this to happen there needs to be a partner in peace. Israel needs an opposing side, friend or foe, who is actually willing to sit down and negotiate an agreed settlement to bring peace and security to both sides.

ends.

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