After numerous anti-Israel letters to the editor were published in The Press during April/May 2019, co-director of The Israel Institute of New Zealand, Dr David Cumin, wrote in to provide balance and facts on some of the issues. Mr Minto took particular issue with the statement that the Middle East …

A group based in New Zealand has been found to have dozens of antisemitic posts and comments on its Facebook account. The national debate in New Zealand about online hate is being had at all levels of society, with Prime Minister Ardern meeting with other world leaders to garner support …

Our Prime Minister has been outspoken about the need for social media companies to stop the spread of violent and inciting material.  Particularly in the wake of a terror attack on New Zealand soil, this would seem to be an indication that our government takes terror seriously. However, some actions …

New Zealand has now joined the Swiss, Dutch, and Belgium governments in suspending donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following an internal report that found “credible and corroborated” allegations of serious ethical abuses including “sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority, for personal …

The United Nations continues to be a place where Jew-hatred flourishes and sadly New Zealand has played a role in propping up antisemitic organs of the UN and supporting anti-Israel resolutions. And there is Jew-hatred in the United Nations – the actions of the global body have made the annual …

Israel Institute of New Zealand co-director, Dr David Cumin, is calling for a moratorium on any further Kiwi taxpayer funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) until serious issues of corruption, antisemitism and extremism within that agency are resolved. UNRWA was established in 1949 and is the …

Despite a majority in favour of what would have been a historic resolution condemning terror against Israel, it was not adopted because the general assembly voted to require a two-thirds majority. The United States ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, pointed out that the demand for a two-thirds majority was …

New Zealand voted for a historic United States-led resolution against Hamas terror at the United Nations, along with 87 other countries.  There were 36 abstentions and 57 nations voted against the resolution. Despite a majority in favour of the resolution, it was not adopted because the general assembly voted to …

Hanukkah (or Chanukah, or other spellings) is a Hebrew word meaning ‘rededication’.  The festival commemorates the Jews’ struggle for religious freedom from the Greek-Syrians more than 2,000 years ago (c160BCE). Jewish practice was outlawed by King Antiochus and the Temple (on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem) was turned into an …

Last week, the United Nations General Assembly’s decolonization committee, which includes all 193 member states, adopted nine resolutions against Israel, and zero on the rest of the world. New Zealand voted for 8 and abstained on one. In contrast, Australia voted no to 6 of the resolutions and abstained on …

The first instalment of a conversation on the street outside the Presidential Compound, Ramallah. Earlier this year I visited Ramallah for the first time, accompanied by a German journalist and guide. As we were returning to our vehicle, having visited Arafat’s tomb, a Palestinian lawyer began to chat with our …

In a Facebook post yesterday, Baroness Jenny Tonge stated “…We would all like a safe haven to run to when the going gets tough, but we stay on and ask why it is getting tough. Why have the Jewish people been persecuted over and over again throughout history. Why? I …

National Party leader, Simon Bridges, has acknowledged that New Zealand “got it wrong” by co-sponsoring United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 alongside Malaysia, Senegal, and Venezuela. Though New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, challenged the process at the time – that the decision was not put to cabinet – Mr …

This week US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, announced the US withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). Haley stated that after a year of seeking to bring reform to the ‘deeply flawed’ institution that unfairly targets Israel while ignoring the behaviour of rogue states with ‘awful …

New Zealand has yet again supported a one-sided, biased United Nations General Assembly resolution that censured Israel, while ignoring the role of terrorist organisation Hamas. Another emergency session against Israel was held to condemn Israel (while systematically turning a blind eye to the world’s worst perpetrators of gross and systematic …