April 09, 2024
Government ignores killing of Palestinian aid workers
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa chair John Minto says the Government’s response to the killing of aid workers in Gaza smacks of racism.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Israel has failed to properly explain the attack on a food convou in central Gaza that killed the seven employees of World Central Kitchen, including Australian woman Zomi Frankcom, and the Australian Financial Review says he has left open the prospect of cutting military-related exports to Israel.
It also got a response New Zealand’s from Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who broke virtual silence on Gaza to call for an investigation.
“These seven international aid workers have got international attention whereas the hundreds of Palestinian aid workers who have been killed by Israel in the last few weeks have not got any recognition at all so I think the government has taken a basically racist position, calling out the killing of European aid workers but refusing to condemn the killing of Palestinian aid workers,” Mr Minto says.
He says it’s a stain on New Zealand that while the rest of the world moves away from Israel and the US because of the Gaza assault, this country is moving closer to them.