Gaza not a religious issue – it’s a massive violation of international law, say accord critics

APR editor — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:39:13 +0000

Asia Pacific Report

Groups that have declined to join the government-sponsored “harmony accord” signed yesterday by some Muslim and Jewish groups, say that the proposed new council is “misaligned” with its aims.

The signed accord was presented at Government House in Auckland.

About 70 people attended, including representatives of the New Zealand Jewish Council, His Highness the Aga Khan Council for Australia and New Zealand and the Jewish Community Security Group, reports RNZ News.

The initiative originated with government recognition that the consequences of Israel’s actions in Gaza are impacting on Jewish and Muslim communities in Aotearoa, as well as the wider community.

While agreeing with that statement of purpose, other Muslim and Jewish groups have chosen to decline the invitation, said some of the disagreeing groups in a joint statement.

They believe that the council, as formulated, is misaligned with its aims.

“Gaza is not a religious issue, and this has never been a conflict between our faiths,” Dr Abdul Monem, a co-founder of ICONZ said.

‘Horrifying humanitarian consequences’
“In Gaza we see a massive violation of international law with horrifying humanitarian consequences.

“We place Israel’s annihilating campaign against Gaza, the complicity of states and economies at the centre of our understanding — not religion.

“The first action to address the suffering in Gaza and ameliorate its effects here in Aotearoa must be government action. Our government needs to comply with international courts and act on this humanitarian calamity.

“That does not require a new council.”

The impetus for this initiative clearly linked international events with their local impacts, but the document does not mention Gaza among the council’s priorities, said the statement.

“Signatories are not required to acknowledge universal human rights, nor the courts which have ruled so decisively and created obligations for the New Zealand government. Social distress is disconnected from its immediate cause.”

The council was open to parties which did not recognise the role of international humanitarian law in Palestine, nor the full human and political rights of their fellow New Zealanders.

‘Overlooks humanitarian law’
Marilyn Garson, co-founder of Alternative Jewish Voices said: “It has broad implications to overlook our rights and international humanitarian law.

“As currently formulated, the council includes no direct Palestinian representation. That’s not good enough.

“How can there be credible discussion of Aotearoa’s ethnic safety — let alone advocacy for international action — without Palestinians?

“Law, human rights and the dignity of every person’s life are not opinions. They are human entitlements and global agreements to which Aotearoa has bound itself.

“No person in Aotearoa should have to enter a room — especially a council created under government auspices — knowing that their fundamental rights will not be upheld. No one should have to begin by asking for that which is theirs.”

The groups outside this new council said they wished to live in a harmonious society, but for them it was unclear why a new council of Jews and Muslims should represent the path to harmony.

“Advocacy that comes from faith can be a powerful force. We already work with numerous interfaith community initiatives, some formed at government initiative and waiting to really find their purpose,” said Dr Muhammad Sajjad Naqvi, president of ICONZ.

Addressing local threats
“Those existing channels include more of the parties needed to address local threats, including Christian nationalism like that of Destiny Church.

“Perhaps government should resource those rather than starting something new.”

The groups who declined to join the council said they had “warm and enduring relationships” with FIANZ and Dayenu, which would take seats at this council table.

“All of the groups share common goals, but not this path,” the statement said.

ICONZ is a national umbrella organisation for New Zealand Shia Muslims for a unified voice. It was established by Muslims who have been born in New Zealand or born to migrants who chose New Zealand to be their home.

Alternative Jewish Voices is a collective of Aotearoa Jews working for Jewish pluralism and anti-racism. It supports the work of Palestinians who seek liberation grounded in law and our equal human rights.

‘Don’t put all eggs in one basket with China,’ warns Mahuta

APR editor — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 21:25:29 +0000

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has urged New Zealand to diversify its trade arrangements and not put all its eggs in one basket with China.

Mahuta has also raised concerns about loan arrangements between China and other Pacific nations.

The comments were made in a keynote speech at the New Zealand China Council meeting in Wellington yesterday.

LISTEN: Foreign Minister outlines plan for China on RNZ Morning Report

China has been the country’s largest trading partner since 2017.

“This is a relationship in which all New Zealanders have an interest, and it is a relationship that the government approaches keeping in mind all New Zealanders’ long-term interests,” Mahuta said.

She noted the recent upgrade to the country’s fair trade agreement with China which would modernise the existing agreement and deliver “new benefits for New Zealand businesses”.

However, she noted it was “prudent not to put all the eggs in a single basket”.

Concern over Pacific ‘indebtedness’
The minister also expressed her concern over the potential indebtedness of Pacific nations to China.

In regards to the Pacific Reset, she said economic vulnerability was a major risk to the future of the region.

“China can play a role in the long-term economic recovery and resilience of the region, but there is a substantial difference between financing loans and contributing to greater ODI investment in particular to the Pacific.

“We must move towards a more sustainable Pacific that respects the manner of the Pacific sovereignties and builds on Pacific peoples’ own capabilities towards long-term resilience,” Mahuta said.

There were some topics that New Zealand and China did not, could not, and would not agree on, she said.

Mahuta said New Zealand had raised matters privately with China on many occasions.

However, she said sometimes it would be necessary to speak publicly, giving Hong Kong, Xinjiang and cyber “incidents” as examples.

She said New Zealand would take a consistent approach through diplomacy and dialogue, but New Zealand would not ignore the country’s actions if they conflicted with its commitment to universal human rights.

Speech ‘unusual’ – China expert
University of Canterbury’s Professor Anne-Marie Brady said the listing of concerns by the minister was “very unusual” for New Zealand.

“We haven’t seen anything like that before, the closest you can get to it is last year at the New Zealand China Council annual business conference, the prime minister in the midst of a speech all about how wonderful trade is then inserted a paragraph criticising China for its human rights behaviour.

“That got very strong pushback from the the ambassador from China,” she said.

Brady said New Zealand was under a lot of pressure from China.

“Our diplomats are getting regular demarche regular statements of concern, face to face and other small states are also getting a lot of pressure.

“I suspect this is pre-emptive, that New Zealand is telling China ‘we are going to disagree with you on some points’, and they’re trying to be clear and consistent about that.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Universal human rights – Asia Pacific Report

Gaza not a religious issue – it’s a massive violation of international law, say accord critics

‘Don’t put all eggs in one basket with China,’ warns Mahuta