Otago Daily Times
Call to fly Palestinian flag to show support
24 Nov 2023
By Grant Miller
grant.miller@odt.co.nz
A Dunedin councillor who is calling for the Palestinian flag to be flown from city buildings has described the conflict in Gaza as murder.
Israel had murdered more than 11,000 Palestinians, including 5000 children, in the war against Hamas, Cr Marie Laufiso said.
She also referred to United States President Joe Biden as "Genocide Joe".
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand labelled her comments inflammatory and belittling.
A simplistic "goodies and baddies" narrative did nothing to advance peace for Palestinians and Israelis "but inflames an environment in New Zealand where there has been escalating and highly concerning antisemitism", centre chairwoman Deborah Hart said.
"It is irresponsible, particularly for leaders charged with civic responsibilities in their region."
In a notice of motion for next week’s Dunedin City Council meeting, Cr Laufiso asked for the Palestinian flag to be flown on November 29, which is the United Nations international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
This would be "a tangible and visible symbol of support to our local Palestinian community", Cr Laufiso said in the notice, supported by Cr Steve Walker.
The notice calls for the council to agree to flying the flag from the mayor’s balcony in the Civic Centre and other city buildings.
It also asks the council to follow the lead of Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger in his Armistice Day letter to the Mayors for Peace, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The war between Israel and Hamas has been running for almost seven weeks.
A four-day truce was announced this week to provide a humanitarian pause and facilitate the freeing of 50 hostages taken by Hamas in exchange for about 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
However, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said hostilities will resume after the temporary ceasefire and war will continue until Hamas is eliminated.
The timing of the truce appeared to be not quite settled yesterday.
Cr Walker said a humanitarian crisis of the highest order was unfolding in Gaza.
"With the ongoing indiscriminate killing of innocent women, children, elderly and other innocents with zero connection to Hamas terrorists, there is no more appropriate time for council to take a stance," he said.
The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched attacks from Gaza into southern Israel, killing at least 1200 people, mostly civilians. Hamas fighters took 240 people hostage and killed hundreds at a music festival.
More than 13,000 civilians have since been killed in Gaza, including thousands of children, the UN believes.
Cr Walker said he supported nations having a right to self-defence and he, "along with the vast majority of those calling for a permanent ceasefire, absolutely condemn the actions of Hamas and call for the release of all hostages taken on October 7".
"Flying the Palestinian flag on the international day of solidarity simply provides an opportunity for our community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remains unresolved and that the Palestinian people have yet to attain their inalienable rights," Cr Walker said.
Those were "the right to self-determination without external interference; the right to national independence and sovereignty; and the right to return to their homes and property, from which they have been displaced".
Cr Laufiso characterised the conflict as being between a powerful nation and an oppressed people and she added "since 1948, Palestinians should not have been paying the price of the Third Reich’s Holocaust".
Asked if flying the Palestinian flag might be inflammatory and distract from what happened on October 7, Cr Laufiso said she found Israel’s actions to be inflammatory.
"Because of October 7 (never mind the decades, months and days leading up to that day), Israel is somehow perceived as a victim of Hamas.
"I personally find it intriguing that a high-tech, sophisticated intelligence army such as the [Israeli Defence Force] was ‘surprised’ by a low-tech (motorbikes and para-gliders) attack launched by Hamas."
Ms Hart noted Cr Laufiso did not mention the Israeli hostages.
The Holocaust Centre advised terms such as "genocide" should be used appropriately and Ms Hart said the centre stood with compassion "for all innocent people adversely affected by the recent conflict in Israel and Gaza".
"It is a time for leaders to take great care with their language and deeds to ensure they do not exacerbate an already inflamed situation for Jewish people."
Call to fly Palestinian flag to show support
24 Nov 2023
By Grant Miller
grant.miller@odt.co.nz
A Dunedin councillor who is calling for the Palestinian flag to be flown from city buildings has described the conflict in Gaza as murder.
Israel had murdered more than 11,000 Palestinians, including 5000 children, in the war against Hamas, Cr Marie Laufiso said.
She also referred to United States President Joe Biden as "Genocide Joe".
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand labelled her comments inflammatory and belittling.
A simplistic "goodies and baddies" narrative did nothing to advance peace for Palestinians and Israelis "but inflames an environment in New Zealand where there has been escalating and highly concerning antisemitism", centre chairwoman Deborah Hart said.
"It is irresponsible, particularly for leaders charged with civic responsibilities in their region."
In a notice of motion for next week’s Dunedin City Council meeting, Cr Laufiso asked for the Palestinian flag to be flown on November 29, which is the United Nations international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
This would be "a tangible and visible symbol of support to our local Palestinian community", Cr Laufiso said in the notice, supported by Cr Steve Walker.
The notice calls for the council to agree to flying the flag from the mayor’s balcony in the Civic Centre and other city buildings.
It also asks the council to follow the lead of Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger in his Armistice Day letter to the Mayors for Peace, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The war between Israel and Hamas has been running for almost seven weeks.
A four-day truce was announced this week to provide a humanitarian pause and facilitate the freeing of 50 hostages taken by Hamas in exchange for about 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
However, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said hostilities will resume after the temporary ceasefire and war will continue until Hamas is eliminated.
The timing of the truce appeared to be not quite settled yesterday.
Cr Walker said a humanitarian crisis of the highest order was unfolding in Gaza.
"With the ongoing indiscriminate killing of innocent women, children, elderly and other innocents with zero connection to Hamas terrorists, there is no more appropriate time for council to take a stance," he said.
The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched attacks from Gaza into southern Israel, killing at least 1200 people, mostly civilians. Hamas fighters took 240 people hostage and killed hundreds at a music festival.
More than 13,000 civilians have since been killed in Gaza, including thousands of children, the UN believes.
Cr Walker said he supported nations having a right to self-defence and he, "along with the vast majority of those calling for a permanent ceasefire, absolutely condemn the actions of Hamas and call for the release of all hostages taken on October 7".
"Flying the Palestinian flag on the international day of solidarity simply provides an opportunity for our community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remains unresolved and that the Palestinian people have yet to attain their inalienable rights," Cr Walker said.
Those were "the right to self-determination without external interference; the right to national independence and sovereignty; and the right to return to their homes and property, from which they have been displaced".
Cr Laufiso characterised the conflict as being between a powerful nation and an oppressed people and she added "since 1948, Palestinians should not have been paying the price of the Third Reich’s Holocaust".
Asked if flying the Palestinian flag might be inflammatory and distract from what happened on October 7, Cr Laufiso said she found Israel’s actions to be inflammatory.
"Because of October 7 (never mind the decades, months and days leading up to that day), Israel is somehow perceived as a victim of Hamas.
"I personally find it intriguing that a high-tech, sophisticated intelligence army such as the [Israeli Defence Force] was ‘surprised’ by a low-tech (motorbikes and para-gliders) attack launched by Hamas."
Ms Hart noted Cr Laufiso did not mention the Israeli hostages.
The Holocaust Centre advised terms such as "genocide" should be used appropriately and Ms Hart said the centre stood with compassion "for all innocent people adversely affected by the recent conflict in Israel and Gaza".
"It is a time for leaders to take great care with their language and deeds to ensure they do not exacerbate an already inflamed situation for Jewish people."
Message from HCNZ Chair Deborah Hart on the occasion of
'An Evening of Reflection on Kristallnacht After 7th October',
commemorative events held in Wellington and Auckland,
9th and 12th November 2023
This week I was in Rome and there on the Palatine Hill was the Arch of Titus, complete with its intricate carving of Jewish slaves carrying a menorah from the fall of Jerusalem. That same menorah is replicated as the emblem for the State of Israel and is symbolic of Jewish dispersion and now return. As a first century artefact, it is yet more evidence of Jewish roots in Jerusalem and more evidence, as if we needed it, of Jewish suffering.
Jewish suffering has been a theme this last month. The barbaric scenes played out in Israel, just over a month ago, have been chilling, haunting and altogether triggering for the Jewish community. The response of many has been simply appalling from their atrocious lack of sensitivity and humanity to blatant acts of antisemitism - antisemitism that is growing exponentially worldwide.
On this commemoration of Kristallnacht, we pause to remember how the Holocaust began and the devastation it caused for the Jewish people. We remember the six million and those few who survived. We have probably all seen the meme, “If you wonder what you would have done before the Holocaust, you’re doing it now.” Sounds about right to me. We now better understand who our friends are and who will shelter us.
At the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand we have seen wonderful responses to the recent events – messages of support and we are working collegially with so many. I am really very proud of our staff, some of whom have been directly affected by the atrocities, but have steadfastly worked in challenging conditions.
But we have also seen awful responses too. We are dealing with many schools which have experienced episodes of antisemitism. Most schools wish to sweep these episodes under the carpet and move on. We are doing everything we can to ensure they do not and deal with the issues effectively.
We have lost supporters who we thought were allies.
There are people who wish us to draw an equivalence between the actions of Hamas and Israel. We will not do so as it is patently untrue. Whilst we stand with compassion with the loss of civilian life and of course believe in human rights and the rule of law, the Holocaust Centre of NZ believes every nation state has the right to defend itself and denying that right to Israel is intrinsically antisemitic. There are those who want us to call Israel’s defensive war in Gaza genocide and invoke the Holocaust. We will do everything possible to ensure inversion theories and falsehoods do not capture the Holocaust and put it into some warped service that would besmirch the memory of six million.
And of course we are dealing with antisemitic abuse directed at us as an institution.
All of this and in this week, we have gathered many of the teachers we have sent to Yad Vashem for a two-day seminar. We have work to do to ensure the memory of the Holocaust and its lessons are learnt. That work continues.
So as I remember Kristallnacht, I ponder the suffering depicted in the Arch of Titus, its slaves and its menorah, and we add the memory of those who were so ruthlessly murdered on 7 October, the hostages who need to come home and the innocent lives lost since.
Friends, we have trodden this road. The Arch of Titus records it. Kristallnacht recalls it.
There is more work to be done, now more than ever, and the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand will play its part.
I hope you will help us.
Deborah Hart
Chair
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
