The Zionist Federation of New Zealand strongly condemns the indiscriminate attacks on Israel from the firing of over
2000 missiles and rockets at Israeli civilians by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. These rockets are designed to
kill as many people as possible and it is only due to Israel’s Iron Dome defence system that casualties are kept to a
minimum.
We call on the New Zealand government to strongly condemn these unprovoked and indiscriminate attacks by these two
terrorist groups.
Whilst we pray for the cessation of the attacks and for peace, we also support Israel’s right to defend itself and keep
its population safe. This current escalation is not related to the situation in Sheikh Jarrah / Shimon HaTzadik, which
is legal dispute, but is more about the Arab Palestinian Leadership and Jihadists not accepting the existence of the
Jewish state, nor recognition of the Jewish people, who are Tangata Whenua to the land, to return to our ancestral and
spiritual homeland.
We also find it inappropriate and in bad taste for several New Zealand MPs to proudly don Arab Palestinian Kufiyah in
support of the so called ‘Nakba’ on the same day when millions of Israelis were forced to spend the whole day and night
in bomb shelters.
The Zionist Federation also denounces the senseless actions of violent mobs from both sides which is leading to innocent
people, be they Jewish, Muslim, Christian or other, being beaten up and shops being ransacked and looted.
Peace will only be achieved when the Palestinian leadership is willing to accept Israel’s right to exist and agrees to
negotiations with Israel to bring a permanent end to the conflict.