logo
Greens Call For Safe Passage Of Madleen And Government To Sanction Israel

Greens Call For Safe Passage Of Madleen And Government To Sanction Israel

Scoop2 days ago

Press Release – Green Party
Weaponising critical humanitarian aid must stop. Shooting at innocent people lining up for kai must stop. Aotearoa New Zealand cannot remain a bystander to the slaughter of innocent people in Gaza.
The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel on course to Gaza, following the Freedom Flotilla being seized by the Israeli Military and urging the New Zealand Government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine.
'The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen and for the New Zealand Government to step up and sanction Israel for its violent occupation of Palestine and continued disregard for international law,' says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.
'The Madleen was trying to get much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, and has been intercepted by the Israeli Military in international waters. This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the International Court of Justice's binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.
'Weaponising critical humanitarian aid must stop. Shooting at innocent people lining up for kai must stop. Aotearoa New Zealand cannot remain a bystander to the slaughter of innocent people in Gaza.
'I was on a peace flotilla for Gaza almost ten years ago and it pains me to still see the need for one all these years later.
'If we stand for human rights and peace and justice, our Parliament must act. The New Zealand Government must sanction Israel and can do so by supporting Chlöe Swarbrick's Member's Bill. All we need is the support of six Government MPs to make this happen.
'In September, Aotearoa joined 123 UN Member States to support a resolution calling for sanctions against those responsible for Israel's 'unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to settler violence.'
'Our Government has since done nothing to fulfil that commitment. Our Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill starts that very basic process.
'The Green Party stands with the Madleen and will continue to fight for the people of Palestine,' says Marama Davidson.
Notes:
In 2016, Marama Davidson was a part of the Women's Boat to Gaza which brought awareness to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and highlighted the crucial role of women in keeping their communities afloat, particularly in post-conflict situations.
Standing Order 288 outlines the process for Member's Bills to bypass the member's bill ballot (colloquially known as the 'biscuit tin'), with the support of 61 non-executive members. With 55 Opposition members now officially in support of Swarbrick's Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill, the support of just 6 Government MPs are necessary to get the Bill onto the floor of Parliament.
On 10th December 2024, Swarbrick wrote to all Members of Parliament asking their support for the Bill to bypass the ballot, and later asked the Prime Minister in the House if there would be any Government policy or position preventing MPs from exercising their democratic right to support the Bill bypassing the ballot. He said that he would have a 'good look at the Bill'.
In the tenth emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly on 18 September 2024, NZ joined 123 other member states in supporting United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/24 'Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory'.
This resolution affirmed the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding Israel's actions and presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, called upon all states to comply with their obligations under international law, and, amongst other actions, called upon all States to implement sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, against natural and legal persons engaged in the maintenance of Israel's unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to settler violence.
This Bill implements a sanctions framework, duplicating the Russia Sanctions Act, to allow sanctions to be imposed by the Government against Israel in response to Israel's unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The Bill implements some initial sanctions against Israeli Ministers, Israeli MPs who have supported the occupation, and military leadership, as well as sanctions on assets and services relating to arms and assets and services that are of economic or strategic importance to Israel.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Thunberg lands in Paris: 'The world needs more young angry women'
Thunberg lands in Paris: 'The world needs more young angry women'

1News

time6 hours ago

  • 1News

Thunberg lands in Paris: 'The world needs more young angry women'

Israel has deported activist Greta Thunberg, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. Speaking uon arrival in Paris en route to her home country of Sweden, Thunberg called for the release of the other activists who were detained aboard the Madleen. She described a "quite chaotic and uncertain" situation during the detention. The conditions they faced "are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now", she said. The trip was meant to protest Israeli restrictions on aid to Gaza's population of over two million people after 20 months of war, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group behind the journey. ADVERTISEMENT "We were well aware of the risks of this mission," Thunberg said. "The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid." She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza. On Monday, US President Donald Trump called Thunberg "a young angry person" and recommended she take anger management classes. "I think the world need a lot more young angry women," Thunberg said in response. Thunberg said it appeared she was headed back to Sweden, hadn't had access to a phone in a few days and wanted a shower. The activists were held separately, and some had trouble accessing lawyers, she added. Asked why she agreed to deportation, she said: "Why would I want to stay in an Israeli prison more than necessary?" ADVERTISEMENT Thunberg called on supporters to contact their governments "to demand not only humanitarian aid being let into Gaza but most importantly an end to the occupation and an end to the systemic oppression and violence that Palestinians are facing on an everyday basis". She said recognising Palestine was "the very, very, very minimum" that governments could do to help. Other activists face deportation Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen. Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early Monday (local time) about 200km off Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, along with rights groups, said Israel's actions in international waters were a violation of international law. Israel rejected that charge, saying such ships intended to breach what it argued was a lawful naval blockade of Gaza. Israel viewed the ship as a publicity stunt, calling it the "selfie yacht" with a "meagre" amount of aid that amounted to less than a truckload. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said three activists, including Thunberg, had been deported along with a journalist. It said it had encouraged some to do it so they could speak freely about their experiences. ADVERTISEMENT "Their detention is unlawful, politically motivated and a direct violation of international law," the coalition said in a statement. Eight other passengers refused deportation and were being detained at Givon prison in Ramle. On Tuesday, Israeli authorities heard their cases at a detention tribunal. "We argued today, and that also was emphasised by all the activists, that their goal is to enter humanitarian aid to Gaza, to end the famine and to end a genocide in Gaza," said Lubna Tuma, a lawyer with legal rights group Adalah, who was representing the activists. "Any violation or any prohibition to entering the humanitarian aid to Gaza is deepening the complicity of Israel in the famine in Gaza." Legal representatives for the group said that because Israeli seized their vessel in international waters and forcibly transported them to Israeli territory, Israel had no authority to detain or deport them. 'Pirate attack' Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel's Interior Ministry, said the activists who were being deported Tuesday had waived their right to appear before a judge. ADVERTISEMENT The others have a hearing with the judge and would be held for 96 hours before being deported, she said. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who was of Palestinian descent, was among the passengers. She has previously been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. It was not clear whether she was being immediately deported or detained. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said one of the detained French activists signed an expulsion order and would leave Tuesday. The other five refused. He said all the activists received consular visits. Sergio Toribio, a Spanish activist, slammed Israel's actions after he arrived in Barcelona. 'It is unforgivable, it is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters," he told reporters. ADVERTISEMENT Blockade of Gaza Palestinians in Gaza are now almost completely dependent on international aid. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. During the 20-month-long war in Gaza, Israel has restricted and sometimes blocked all aid into the territory, including food, fuel and medicine. Experts say that policy has pushed Gaza toward famine. Israel asserts that Hamas siphons off the aid to bolster its rule. Hamas-led militants killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war and took 251 hostages, most released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said women and children make up most of the dead. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population.

Free Speech Union Warns Stalking And Harassment Bill Risks Abuse, Changes Make It Worse
Free Speech Union Warns Stalking And Harassment Bill Risks Abuse, Changes Make It Worse

Scoop

time7 hours ago

  • Scoop

Free Speech Union Warns Stalking And Harassment Bill Risks Abuse, Changes Make It Worse

The Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill suffers from the common fault of slogan laws with good intentions, without realism about the risks of misuse. The announced expansion of what is considered a 'specified act' goes in the wrong direction, says Stephen Franks, Council Member of the Free Speech Union. 'We've already seen the broad and vague terminology in the Harmful Digital Communications Act being used to silence legitimate dissent many times. This Bill is likely to be similarly abused. 'Truth should be a defense for 'damaging, or undermining [a person's] reputation, opportunities, or relationships'. That would save the centuries-long principle that protects the public interest in learning home truths about powerful people and wrongdoers. It is not enough to say the Bill lets you argue that truth is for a proper purpose. We know that courts have not held that telling the truth is presumptively a proper purpose. 'The broad definition of 'specified acts' as inducing fear or distress, combined with the low threshold for establishing a 'pattern of behaviour', already leaves wide scope for misuse against legitimate surveillance, and dissent. Likewise, the inclusion of 'contacting or communicating with a person' is vague and has the potential to be weaponised. 'By prioritising the term 'fear or distress' without a clear objective override, the Bill raises similar issues to 'hate speech' legislation. The law does not recognise that some people ought to be ashamed ('distressed') by exposure of their own conduct. 'The Government's decision to increase the timeframe for establishing a 'pattern of behaviour' from contact twice over 12 to 24 months also widens the net, making it more likely that isolated or infrequent expressions of dissent could be criminalised. 'We submitted our concerns in February, urging the Justice Select Committee to narrow their definitions, to clarify 'specified acts', and to provide better defences that would let the courts protect free speech. We call on the Minister of Justice to protect Kiwis' speech rights as well as victims of stalking and harassment.'

PM Must Stop Changes Further Failing Children
PM Must Stop Changes Further Failing Children

Scoop

time7 hours ago

  • Scoop

PM Must Stop Changes Further Failing Children

Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party Christopher Luxon must step in and cancel boot camps and restore funding to frontline community providers before its too late, Labour childrens spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said. Today's damning report on Oranga Tamariki shows Māori children are being left with little chance of success, or even survival, after their experiences in the state care system, and Minister for Children Karen Chhour is making it worse. 'This report is the first of its kind and reveals a disturbing and urgent problem which can no longer be ignored by the Prime Minister who has overseen dangerous changes to Oranga Tamariki during his term in government,' Labour children's spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said. 'The Government has cut early intervention, continued with botched bootcamps that have never worked, and taken away funding from community-run services that help children and whānau. 'Christopher Luxon has allowed an ACT Minister to recklessly erode the services that have been built up to support children. 'As well as repealing Section 7AA, Karen Chhour has removed a key target for placement of children with whanau, and removed the target for investment for services provided by Iwi organisations. 'The Government has taken away actions specifically put in place to address the significant disparities for Māori children in care. 'Christopher Luxon must step in and cancel boot camps and restore funding to frontline community providers before it's too late,' Willow-Jean Prime said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store