Thousands are expected to march in solidarity with Palestine on Saturday, calling on the New Zealand Government to impose sanctions on Israel.
The march was initially planned to cross Auckland’s Harbour Bridge, but after MetService forecasts predicted unsafe wind speeds of 75–85km/h, the route has been shifted.
Demonstrators will now gather at Aotea Square at 9.30am before marching through the central city and finishing at Victoria Park.
“People already know what’s happening. We see the genocide live streamed to our phones every day,” Dr Arama Rata of Aotearoa for Palestine said.
“Israel is a rogue state that is not following any international norms or laws. For two years Israel has relentlessly bombed civilians in their homes, refugee camps, schools, places of worship, and hospitals.”
Israel denies crimes against humanity and claims it is acting in self-defense, saying that, following the October 7 attack, when it kills civilians, it is targeting Hamas.
The March for Humanity is organised by Aotearoa for Palestine, a group led by Palestinians and Māori. In planning the march, the organisers first sought support from mana whenua and Toitū Te Tiriti who endorsed the kaupapa.
“We recognise the struggle for Palestinian freedom as an anti-colonial struggle,” says Rata, “So, it’s essential that Palestine solidarity in Aotearoa is attuned to and aligned with the Tino Rangatiratanga movement.”
Living tikanga through solidarity with Palestine
Te Ao Māori News spoke with Eru Kapa-Kingi, spokesperson for Toitū Te Tiriti, the group that organised last November’s Hīkoi mō te Tiriti from Auckland to Parliament, which also included a march across the Harbour Bridge.
“Koia tēnei ko te tikanga tuku iho o te tautoko o te manaaki o te aroha hoki te whakatinanahia nei mā roto i tā tātou tū tahi ki ngā iwi o Paratinia, ki tēnei kaupapa,” hei tā Kapa-Kingi.
“Ko te tikanga e mea ana kia tautoko te tangata whenua i ngā kaupapa pēnei, kaupapa whakaora i ngā iwi kei runga i ō tātou whenua o Aotearoa whānui e noho ana.”
Pressure mounts on NZ government to take action
Rata highlighted the forced starvation and famine, as well as the violation of international law in the bombing of the global Sumud flotilla on September 10, noting that New Zealanders joined the flotilla. She also referenced the bombing later that day or the team negotiating a ceasefire deal put forward by Trump in Qatar.
Arama Rata says that despite Israel’s crimes against humanity, the United Nations Security Council has been unable to take meaningful action because the United States continues to exercise its veto power. For this reason, she says, responsibility falls to individual states like New Zealand to step up and impose sanctions.
Rata points out that in the past, the people of Aotearoa successfully pushed the New Zealand government to take a stand against apartheid in South Africa. Now, she says, it is up to the people again to pressure the government to sanction Israel.
Specifically, they are calling for a full arms embargo to halt all weapons sales and transfers with Israel, including ‘dual-use’ technology — equipment that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, such as drones — and to stop rocket payloads that can be used for military purposes by Israel.
She added that they also want targeted sanctions on individuals and entities involved in violations of international law, including travel bans, asset freezes, and denial of access to New Zealand’s financial systems.
Indigenous struggles are connected
When asked why Māori should care about Palestine when there are issues at home, Eru Kapa-Kingi said he used to think that way himself.
“Āe, ka mutu ahau i whakaaro pērā i tētahi wā. Tahi ahau ka āta rangahau, āta wetewete i ngā kōrero, i aku whakaaro hoki, ka kite au i tētahi māramatanga: ko ngā mate o konei he mate kotahi i ngā mate o tāwāhi e pā kino nei ki ngā whanaunga o Paratinia, ki ngā hoa o Paratini e whanaunga nei tātou ki a tātou i te here o te kino, i te here o te mamae, i te here o te riri, te riri, kua roa e tāmi nei i a tātou i ngā iwi taketake puta i te ao. Nō reira, me kaua tātou e wehewehe i ngā mate nei; he mate kotahi.”
He explained that, through his research and reflection, he came to realise that the struggles Indigenous peoples face in Aotearoa are connected to those faced by Palestinians that the suffering, anger, and long history of oppression are shared, and the struggles cannot be separated.
During the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, Kapa-Kingi said they’d received so much support from Indigenous peoples all over the world.
“Ko tētahi tino akoranga i runga i tā tātou hīkoi mō te Tiriti i te Noema rā, ko te hono, e kōrero nei ahau, te hono i ngā kaupapa rangatiratanga, iwi taketake puta i te ao,” e ai kī a Kapa-Kingi.
“He kaupapa kotahi. Koia tēnei hei oranga ki te katoa.”
