Latest news with #CoalitionofMinistersSupportingIsrael
Scoop
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Zealand Condemning Israel Is Wrong
The Coalition of Ministers Supporting Israel in New Zealand rejects the condemnation delivered by New Zealand and 27 other nations on Tuesday 22 July. We agree with the Israeli response that they are 'disconnected from reality '. We also agree that Hamas is 'busy running a campaign to spread lies about Israel'. Israel has agreed to a fair ceasefire deal, but Hamas again is refusing to sign up to it. Hamas started the war, continues to prolong the war, and is encouraged to do so by naïve statements like that released today by the UK and its international partners joint statement on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Coalition of 120 Church ministers and pastors condemns the call from members of the opposition in New Zealand's Parliament to expel the Israeli ambassador and to support South Africa's appeal to the ICJ to charge Israel with committing genocide in Gaza. We also condemn the calls in our Parliament to sanction Israel and want to mention that many New Zealanders believe in the God of Israel mentioned many times in the Holy Bible, which states that He will defend His people Israel. In that holy book He declares to Israel, 'I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse'. In closing we ask: Where is the factual evidence behind this condemnation of Israel without relying on the untrustworthy figures and information put out by the Hamas run Health Ministry in Gaza? The tragedy in Gaza reaches the hearts of compassionate people everywhere, as should the ongoing tragedy inflicted upon the people of Israel. But we should not lose sight of who started this war and who refuses to agree to the latest terms for a ceasefire - Hamas!
Otago Daily Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
How they voted: Councillors split over Israel sanctions Bill
Carmen Houlahan. File photo: Gregor Richardson A message must be sent to the government to challenge the Israeli regime's occupation of Palestinian territories, Dunedin's representatives have decided. However, dispatching it required a casting vote to break a 7-7 tie during a tense meeting, as a large crowd watched on. The casting vote came from Dunedin City Council community services committee chairwoman Marie Laufiso yesterday and followed representations from residents and activists, questions from councillors and councillor speeches. Public seating at the venue was easily filled and dozens of people watched a screen in the art gallery — sometimes applauding, jeering or laughing. At one point, a man burst into the council chamber to shout "shame on you, you f...... cowards". Cr Carmen Houlahan, who voted for the resolution, used part of her speech to call out such conduct as unacceptable. The matter for debate was a notice of motion brought by Cr Christine Garey, advocating committee support for Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick's Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill, and requesting Dunedin's mayor write to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters asking government MPs to back the Bill. The Bill is supported by Opposition parties in Parliament. Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich was one speaker who was against council involvement in such matters and said Cr Laufiso should not have accepted inclusion of the notice in the agenda. Cr Steve Walker asked the most questions during the extensive public forum section and said people should not look away from the horrors occurring in Gaza. "If you decide to turn your gaze away from the TV and news reels, then you are in some small way part of allowing a genocide to be carried out in collective silence." This brought a point of order from Cr Houlahan, that was not upheld by Cr Laufiso. Cr Brent Weatherall said he had noticed the scarves, T-shirts, signs and sunglasses of the public present. "By all means, take your protest to Wellington," he said. Most speakers at the public forum were in favour of Cr Garey's motion. They included Rod and May Pik, who had come from Israel, and described it as a rogue state that should be held accountable. Coalition of Ministers Supporting Israel representative Pastor Nigel Woodley said blame belonged with Hamas terrorists, rather than Israel. Cr Jim O'Malley asked him "when it comes to holding back food and water and knowingly starving civilians, what would Jesus do?". Other items on the community services committee meeting agenda were shelved, as councillors were going to run out of time to discuss them. Council chief executive Sandy Graham said they would be picked up at other meetings. At a glance That the council's community services committee agrees to support the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill and requests that the mayor write to both the prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs, asking that government MPs support the Bill.— For (7): Crs Christine Garey, Steve Walker, David Benson-Pope, Carmen Houlahan, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Jim O'Malley. Against (7): Mayor Jules Radich, Crs Bill Acklin, Kevin Gilbert, Cherry Lucas, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall, Andrew Whiley. Absent: Cr Sophie Barker. Passed 8-7 on Cr Laufiso's casting vote.
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
COMS-Israel Condemns Capital's Antisemitic Graffiti
Press Release – COMS Israel We call on all institutions to loudly condemn it and to support our Jewish Community in New Zealand. The Coalition of Ministers Supporting Israel in New Zealand joins others in condemning the overnight manifestation of Jewish hate in our nation's capital. This show of antisemitism is unacceptable and reflects the sort of rhetoric you would have seen in Nazi Germany over eighty years ago. What begins as graffiti on a wall ends up on the lips of sympathizers, which then morphs into physical harm against the targets of such rhetoric. This is the lesson of the Holocaust and we call on all institutions to loudly condemn it and to support our Jewish Community in New Zealand. COMS-Israel is a group of Church Ministers in New Zealand who come from Pentecostal, Baptist, Brethren, Polynesian, Presbyterian, Anglican and other churches who support the right of the Jewish State of Israel to protect its homeland. We currently have 96 ministers on our list.
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
COMS-Israel Condemns Capital's Antisemitic Graffiti
The Coalition of Ministers Supporting Israel in New Zealand joins others in condemning the overnight manifestation of Jewish hate in our nation's capital. This show of antisemitism is unacceptable and reflects the sort of rhetoric you would have seen in Nazi Germany over eighty years ago. What begins as graffiti on a wall ends up on the lips of sympathizers, which then morphs into physical harm against the targets of such rhetoric. This is the lesson of the Holocaust and we call on all institutions to loudly condemn it and to support our Jewish Community in New Zealand.
