28.1.23 Hands off Yemen, Ceasefire for Gaza! Rally, March

Media statement by @palestinian.youth.aotearoa

Thousands march to MFAT to demand ‘Hands off Yemen!’ and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Thousands marched to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) in Auckland this Sunday the 28th of January to demand ‘Hands off Yemen’ and an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The march, organised by Palestinian Youth Aotearoa (PYA) and Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA), is a response to the Government’s announcement on Wednesday that a six-member Defence Force team will be deployed to support the US and UK’s ongoing attacks on Yemen.
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“Yemen have taken actions in the Red Sea in an effort to disrupt Israeli cargo ships, and end the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. As a signatory to the Genocide Convention, New Zealand has an obligation to prevent genocide. At the very least New Zealand should be calling for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine, rather than attacking Yemen, one of the poorest nations in the world.”

“This deployment is undemocratic. It contradicts public opinion, and has been made without Parliamentary mandate or UN approval, undermining international law. Our leaders must be reigned in before sleepwalking into a regional conflict.”

Neither Prime Minister Christopher Luxon nor Foreign Minister Winston Peters has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“Attacking Yemen does not reflect the values our foreign policy should be based on. If Mr Luxon is more interested in protecting cargo than human lives, he should have remained in his role as an airline executive, rather than running a country.”

“US and Israeli officials are intensively discussing plans for a large-scale Israeli assault on Lebanon for the end of the month. The number of people killed by Israeli fire in South Lebanon since the start of the war in Gaza has risen to 202 since Monday. This includes three journalists and two rescuers, along with many civilians.”

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed more than 25,700 people, including over 10,000 children, with more than 8,000 people missing since October. In addition, 63,000 people have been injured, and 1.9 millionpeople have been internally displaced.

Israel’s refusal to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza has resulted in a man made famine. Water, food, fuel, and medical supplies have been cut off, exposing the population to serious risk of disease.