A Green Party MP has warned of “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza and called on world leaders to stand against Israel’s military actions she has described as “crimes against humanity”.
It comes after the director-general of security for the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation (AISO) said politicians and communities “all have to be mindful of... language that inflames tension” as he warned of the potential for “spontaneous violence” elsewhere in the world during the ongoing conflict.
Golriz Ghahraman, the Green Party’s foreign affairs and human rights spokeswoman, said in a statement this evening the party was “deeply concerned” about the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestinian terror group Hamas, and that the Jewish state was “in clear breach of international law”.
“We condemn the targeting of civilians by any armed group in the strongest terms, no matter the context. Both Hamas and the Israeli Defence Force have a clear obligation to protect civilians from harm,” Ghahraman said.
“We call on Hamas to allow the safe and immediate release of all Israeli civilian hostages, without condition.
“While the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians was unconscionable and constitutes the gravest war crimes, nothing justifies the indiscriminate retaliation upon the trapped civilian population in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force.”
Ghahraman, an an Iranian-Kiwi refugee, said Israel was breaching international law by withholding Gaza’s access to water, electricity and humanitarian supplies as the conflict continued.
“Two million people - including one million children - live in Gaza and have nowhere to go to escape bombing that is destroying their homes, schools, and hospitals,” she said.
“We are concerned that ongoing escalation will have devastating consequences. The international community must stand against these crimes against humanity and prevent ethnic cleansing.”
It is not the first time Ghahraman has used the term “ethnic cleansing” when referring to Palestinians. In 2021, she posted on social media that Aotearoa must recognise the “humanity and dignity of Palestinians” and “strongly condemn the violent ethnic cleansing” of residents in Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
Aotearoa must recognise the humanity & dignity of Palestinians:
— Golriz Ghahraman (@golrizghahraman) May 15, 2021
✊🏽 Strongly condemn the violent ethnic cleansing of residents in #SheikhJarrah
✊🏽Call for immediate international action on the bombardment of the trapped community in #Gaza
🇵🇸 Recognise the state of #Palastine pic.twitter.com/1qpbhKJkQ1
The Green Party said it supported humanitarian groups, the United Nations Secretary-General, and Israeli and Palestinian voices for peace and “an end to the occupation and the blockade”, Ghahraman said.
Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, known as the Six-Day War, before withdrawing from Gaza in 2005 and implementing an ongoing blockade from 2007.
“Together we call upon Israeli leaders for immediate cessation of the assault on Gaza and opening of aid corridors and supplies. We call on the international community to unite to support a ceasefire and a durable, just peace,” Ghahraman said.
“The only sustainable path forward for peace in both Israel and Palestine is respect for the dignity and rights of both communities to self-determination, through an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, freedom of movement, equal rights, and a path to statehood for Palestine.”
The Greens have long been outspoken about Israeli-Palestinian relations, including when party co-leader Marama Davidson was arrested and detained by Israeli authorities for attempting to breach the Gaza blockade on a protest ship in 2016.
In 2021, a Green Party bid for Parliament to debate recognising Palestine as a state was blocked, while concerns were also raised at the time by Act’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Brooke van Velden over a social media post by Green MP Ricardo Menendez March. It was accompanied with photos of Menendez March, Ghahraman and fellow Green MP Chloe Swarbrick at a pro-Palestine protest.
The message read: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”. That phrase has been described by politicians and Jewish leaders globally as an anti-Semitic chant used by Hamas and linked to its historical ideology to reject the state of Israel in its entirety.
New Zealand has currently designated only the military wing of Hamas a terrorist organisation, while its Five Eyes partners list the entire organisation a terror entity.
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free! pic.twitter.com/xKDbZ5GLeu
— Ricardo Menéndez (@RMarchNZ) May 15, 2021
Earlier today, New Zealand’s Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt said media should be mindful of inflammatory language or phrasing and all New Zealand organisations should be careful of the actions they take.
The commission urged people to report any instances of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism or other discrimination as the conflict rages between Israel and Hamas.
It comes after reports of disorder at the Auckland War Memorial Museum when a small number of Palestinian sympathisers gathering to rally against the building being lit up in Israeli colours met Israeli sympathisers there.
There were also ugly scenes in Sydney last Monday after thousands of pro-Palestinian sympathisers gathered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, which was illuminated in blue and white in support of Israel.
Video from the event in Sydney showed protesters also burning Israeli flags, setting off flares and chanting anti-Semitic phrases, including “gas the Jews”.
Hunt said it was “at moments like this that we are called on to demonstrate our common humanity to each other”.
“It is a time for empathy, manaaki and mutual respect for each other,” he said.
“It’s terrifying to see such events unfold and to be far away from loved ones. We know this is a stressful, tense time for many, especially those with whānau in the region.
“Our thoughts are with all communities affected here in Aotearoa New Zealand following the horrific loss of life and violence in Israel and Gaza,” he said.
“We support the calls of the United Nations secretary-general for all sides to immediately adhere to international human rights and humanitarian law - to protect the lives, health and dignity of all.”
He made the comments after the Auckland War Memorial Museum copped criticism from some for lighting the building in Israeli colours, forcing the institution to apologise, which was followed by criticism from others of it issuing the apology.
Museum chief executive David Reeves issued a statement saying: “Our approach was wrong, and I personally apologise for the distress and hurt caused to members of our community.”
Police were called when tensions rose between Palestinian sympathisers and Israeli sympathisers.
A police spokeswoman said officers were there to “maintain the peace” from about 6.30pm to 9pm on Sunday, after which time all protesters left. She said there were no reports of injuries.
Janfrie Wakim, a member of the Auckland Museum Institute and a long-time activist for justice in Palestine, said the protesters used jackets and flags to cover the lights. She called it a “very non-violent act of defiance”.
Wakim was shocked the museum would take what she believed was “such a partisan view”.
The Israel Institute of New Zealand claimed on social media Palestinian sympathisers had damaged the lights.
The Holocaust and Antisemitism Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand said the museum’s apology was “shameful”.
All New Zealand synagogues and the one Jewish school have been closed over security concerns, the Jewish Council said.
Council spokeswoman Juliet Moses said it was not aware of any specific threats, saying the decision was made in consultation with the police and the community.
Police said they had not asked the Jewish community to close centres or cancel events. They have, however, been in talks with community leaders.
The Herald has approached police for any updates on security concerns.
The recent conflict in Israel and Gaza began when Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, sparking an Israeli retaliation on October 7.
At least 2778 people have been killed and 9700 wounded in Gaza, according to the health ministry there. More than 1400 Israelis have been killed, the vast majority civilians massacred in Hamas’ assault.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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