Latest news with #Helen Clark
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Israel deliberately obstructing aid, Former PM Helen Clark says
Former Irish President Mary Robinson and Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark at an Egyptian Red Crescent centre. Photo: Supplied/Elder Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says she's witnessed Israel deliberately obstructing life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza. Together with former Irish President Mary Robinson, Clark visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Palestinian territory this week. The two former world leaders were part of The Elders, an independent, non-government organisation of global leaders working together for peace, justice, human rights and sustainability. The group had regularly spoken out about the situation in Gaza since Israel announced war on Hamas in October 2023. 'A significant proportion of manifested trucks are turned away with vital supplies. The world needs to know... This has to stop.' Mary Robinson and @HelenClarkNZ witness the devastating reality at the closed Rafah border with Gaza. Their joint statement said they saw evidence of food and medical aid being denied entry to Gaza, "causing mass starvation to spread". "What we saw and heard underlines our personal conviction that there is not only an unfolding, human-caused famine in Gaza, there is an unfolding genocide," the statement said. "The deliberate destruction of health facilities in Gaza means children facing acute malnutrition cannot be treated effectively." At least 36 Palestinian children starved to death last month, they said. Israel has repeatedly denied famine and genocide were happening in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week said if his army had a policy of starvation "no one would be alive two years into the war". Israel also disputed the figures provided by authorities in the Palestinian territory, but had not provided its own. No shelter materials had entered Gaza since March this year, the statement said, leaving families already displaced multiple times without protection. Former Irish President Mary Robinson and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark have visited the Rafah border crossing. Photo: Supplied/Elder "Many new mothers are unable to feed themselves or their new-born babies adequately, and the health system is collapsing," Clark said. "All of this threatens the very survival of an entire generation," she said. Truth mattered, their joint statement said. "The uncomfortable truth is that many states are prioritising their own economic and security interests, even as the world is reeling from the images of Gazan children starving to death," Robinson said. "Political leaders have the power and the legal obligation to apply measures to pressure this Israeli government to end its atrocity crimes." "This is all the more urgent in light of Prime Minister Netanyahu's Gaza City takeover plan . President Trump has the leverage to compel a change of course. He must use it now," she said. Hamas authorities said Israeli air attacks had increased in recent days as the Israel Defence Force prepared to take over Gaza City, home to some one million Palestinians. Netanyahu had defended his plan, saying the best option to defeat Hamas was to take the city by force. The plan had been heavily criticised by Israelis, Palestinians, international organisations and other countries. Israel has repeatedly denied famine and genocide were happening in Gaza. Photo: Supplied/Elder Robinson and Clark urged Hamas and Israel to re-engage in ceasefire talks and immediately release Israeli hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinian prisoners, and for Israel to immediately open all border crossings into Gaza. They also called for states to suspend existing and future trade agreements with Israel, as well as the transfer of arms and weapons to Israel, urging the world to follow the lead of Germany and Norway. Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund divested from Israeli firms linked to violations of international law this week, while Germany's Chancellor suspended exports of arms to Israel . "We call for recognition of the State of Palestine by at least 20 more states by September, including G7 members, EU member states and others," their joint statement said. Australia was the latest to announce it would made the decree at a UN General Assembly next month if its conditions were met, following in the footsteps of Canada, France and the UK. At least 20 countries had on Wednesday called for aid to urgently be released into Gaza, saying suffering in the Palestinian territory had reached "unimaginable" levels . New Zealand was not among them, and had not yet made any pledge to recognise a Palestinian state, but the government said it was a matter of "when not if" it would . Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
France 24
7 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
The Elders group of global leaders warns of Gaza 'genocide'
"Today we express our shock and outrage at Israel's deliberate obstruction of the entry of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza," the non-governmental group of public figures, founded by former South Africa president Nelson Mandela in 2007, said in a statement after delegates visited border crossings in Egypt. "What we saw and heard underlines our personal conviction that there is not only an unfolding, human-caused famine in Gaza. There is an unfolding genocide," it added. Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, called on Israel to open the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza so aid could be delivered, after visiting the site. "Many new mothers are unable to feed themselves or their newborn babies adequately, and the health system is collapsing," she said. "All of this threatens the very survival of an entire generation." Clark was joined by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the visit. She said that international leaders "have the power and the legal obligation to apply measures to pressure this Israeli government to end its atrocity crimes". Call for ceasefire, hostage release The delegation "saw evidence of food and medical aid denied entry, and heard witness accounts of the killing of Palestinian civilians, including children, while trying to access aid inside Gaza," said the statement. They urged Israel and Hamas to agree a ceasefire and for the immediate release of remaining Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. The London-based group also called for the "recognition of the State of Palestine", but added "this will not halt the unfolding genocide and famine in Gaza". "Transfers of arms and weapons components to Israel must be suspended immediately," it added, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be sanctioned. Israel has faced mounting criticism over the 22-month-long war with Hamas, with United Nations-backed experts warning of widespread famine unfolding in besieged Gaza. Netanyahu is under mounting pressure to secure the release of the remaining hostages, as well as over his plans to expand the war, which he has vowed to do with or without the backing of Israel's allies. Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,499 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, whose toll the UN considers reliable.
RNZ News
11-08-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Former PM Helen Clark on NZ recognising Palestine as a state
New Zealand is fast becoming one of the last western democracies to recognise Palestine as a state, after Australia announced on Monday it would. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark spoke to Corin Dann. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
