Wellington mayor Tory Whanau (left), Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Yadana Saw (middle), and deputy mayor Laurie Foon (right) at the pro-Palestine protest. Photo: RNZ/Pretoria Gordon
About 1000 people have marched from Wellington's Pukeahu War Memorial Park in the pouring rain, calling for the government to sanction Israel and recognise Palestinian statehood.
Last Saturday, Foreign Minister Winston Peters told the United Nations that New Zealand would not yet do so.
"We are coming together as a community to re-affirm our commitment to the kaupapa, to re-affirm our steadfastness that we will see this through, until Palestine is free, until justice is served," Justice for Palestine co-convenor Samira Zaiton told RNZ.
The rain did not deter the protestors and a sea of umbrellas could be seen walking the one-kilometre route through the suburb of Te Aro to Odlins Plaza.
Zaiton addressed the crowd: "Do you know what steadfastness looks like?
"It looks like this, but you know what? How many days like this, with weather like this, have happened in the last two years in Gaza?
"How many people, families, kaumātua, tamariki, have been living in tents, with water pooling at their makeshift mattress?
"The rain may be relentless today, but so are we."
Justice for Palestine co-convenor Samira Zaiton. Photo: RNZ/Pretoria Gordon
Reuters has reported that Hamas will agree to some of the terms in US President Donald Trump's plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages, but avoided addressing more vexing issues like disarmament and said it would seek further negotiations.
However, Wellington mayor Tory Whanau said she did not trust Trump.
"We're seeing a genocide play out right in front of our eyes and we're seeing world leaders, including our own, not recognise that," she said.
Whanau said she had joined the march to show solidarity, especially as the mayor of Wellington.
The crowd gathers for the pro-Palestine march. Photo: RNZ/Pretoria Gordon
"The weather is so terrible at the moment, but it's packed here. Wellington showed up and I couldn't be prouder."
However, Whanau was concerned about the attack outside a synagogue in the English city of Manchester on Yom Kippur - the holiest day in Judaism - on Thursday. At least two Jewish worshippers were killed and several others injured.
"Everyone should be protected and entitled to safety, and that includes our Jewish community. By supporting this movement, it doesn't exclude anyone else and everyone has to remember that."
Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses told RNZ that the Jewish community was still reeling from the attack.
"I think our focus, in regards to any protest that's happening here in New Zealand, is making sure that there is not the kind of violent rhetoric we've heard at other protests," she said.
Zaiton said that the name of the hīkoi was 'March for Palestine' and was held before the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, "as a nod to the fact that this did not start on 7 October".
"For nearly 80 years, Palestine has been occupied," she said.
In a statement, Justice for Palestine said Palestinians had endured 78 years of occupation, displacement and violence, since the 'Nakba' during Israel's creation in 1948.
"Over the past two years, the world has witnessed with unprecedented clarity what Palestinians have always known. Yet, despite this global awakening, the New Zealand government continues its profound failure of leadership, refusing to take a principled stand, when courage is required and international law demands it.
"While [more than] 150 countries including Canada, Australia, France and the United Kingdom have recognised Palestinian statehood, New Zealand's leaders have chosen diplomatic cowardice over moral courage.
"Our hīkoi represents, not just anger, disappointment and sadness, but affirms the steadfast commitment the people of Aotearoa have to Palestine. We stand together with Sumud (Palestinian steadfastness) and Kia Manawanui (Aotearoa's perseverance), and demand immediate sanctions against Israel [and] recognition of Palestinian statehood."
Israeli ambassador to New Zealand Alon Roth-Snir had praised Peters last Saturday.
Roth-Snir, who has headed the embassy in Wellington since February, told RNZ that recognising state of Palestine would be to recognise Hamas as a legitimate political entity.
"Marching is easy in a democracy like New Zealand or Israel, but living under rocket fire from a terrorist entity is not easy at all," he said. "I wish that people would demonstrate for real peace, which means standing against terror, not against Israel."
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