Latest news with #MaherNazzal
Scoop
18-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
PSNA To Target Sodastream In Noel Leeming Outlets For ‘Complicity With Israeli Genocide, Apartheid And Land Grabbing'
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is launching a nationwide campaign against stockists of carbonated drink machines produced by the Israeli company Sodastream. PSNA says its action is part of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement to isolate apartheid Israel while it commits genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal won't reveal when the 'active campaign' might start, but he does say that the Noel Leeming retail chain is to be the first target. 'We wrote to Noel Leeming's parent company, the Warehouse, on 25 March, reminding them of their Ethical Sourcing Policy, which states; 'Like our customers,wecare about doing the right thing – not only here in New Zealand but everywhere we operate. Our aim is to ensure our customers have confidencethatour products have been ethically sourced.' 'We didn't get a reply. It seems their ethical policy is just a public relations whitewash.' Nazzal says Sodastream previously manufactured its machines near Ma'ale Adumim, one of the most notorious illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank, which was built over destroyed Palestinian villages. 'Sodastream denied it at the time, but the pressure from international customers forced Sodastream to relocate its factory to near Rahat in the Nagab desert in Southern Israel.' Nazzal says the Sodastream stain remains. 'Sodastream built its new factory on traditional Bedouin land. In 1948, the Israeli army expelled most of the nomadic Bedouin from Palestine. Ever since then, Israel has attempted to drive the remaining Bedouin into Bantustan shanty towns so Israelis can occupy the rest of their land.' 'Some Bedouin have had their villages destroyed by the Israeli army dozens of times.' 'The Israeli government subsidises industrial plants and towns in the Nagab, to 'improve the demographic balance' in favour of Jewish immigrants. It's just the same apartheid as in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,' Nazzal says. 'Israeli companies can exploit local Palestinian labour, just as easily as they can if they were operating in the West Bank.' 'Sodastream boasts that it is also exploiting local prison labour. I think that is a great thing to publicise.' Nazzal says the PSNA action against SodaStream shouldn't be necessary. 'Our government should be sanctioning Israel for its genocide and apartheid. It has obligations set by the International Court of Justice, which it completely ignores.' Nazzal says civic boycotts work. 'The best example in this country was the campaign against apartheid South Africa, especially against the Springbok Tour in 1981.' 'Much more recently, only last year, the Israeli parent company of Obela food dips sold its brand. It reluctantly admitted that part of the reason was the consumer boycott of Obella as an Israeli product.' 'Though Obela sales in countries such as Aotearoa New Zealand didn't fall that much, it was enough to cause an Israeli identity brand crisis. Obela is still on sale here, but is no longer an Israeli company and isn't sending profits back to Israel anymore.' Nazzal says the initial target is Noel Leeming, but the campaign will also be moving to other retail chains which stock Sodastream, such as Briscoes and New World. 'We hope they will see ethical reason and realise why it's not in the long-term interests of their respective brands to continue to stock Sodastream."
Scoop
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Zealand Urged To Join Global Coalition Taking Concrete Measures Against Israeli Atrocities
The Palestine Forum of New Zealand is calling on the New Zealand Government to urgently align itself with over twenty nations — including Spain, Ireland, Turkey, China, Qatar, South Africa, and Brazil — that are coordinating concrete international measures in response to Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza. An emergency summit of The Hague Group will take place in Colombia next week, with participating states seeking to enforce the International Court of Justice's binding orders and address grave breaches of international law in Gaza. "More than 58,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children have been killed, and Gaza has been reduced to rubble. The international community is moving decisively, and it's time for New Zealand to take a principled stand,' said Maher Nazzal, spokesperson for the Palestine Forum of New Zealand. New Zealand has a proud legacy of supporting international law and human rights, from opposing apartheid to championing nuclear disarmament. It must now show moral clarity and leadership by joining the growing international coalition demanding an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade, and full accountability for crimes committed. 'We urge the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to publicly commit to joining this initiative and to represent New Zealand at the upcoming summit. Inaction in the face of atrocity is complicity,' Maher Nazzal added.
Scoop
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
US Starts New Horror Show For Israel
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is calling out for New Zealanders to condemn the US bombing of Iran. PSNA Co-Chair, Maher Nazzal, says he hopes, but does not expect, that the New Zealand government will be critical of the US for its war escalation. 'Israel has once again hoodwinked the United States into fighting Israel's wars. 'Israel's Prime Minister has declared Iran to be on the point of producing nuclear weapons since the 1990s. It's all part of his big plan for expulsion of Palestinians from Palestine to create a Greater Israel, and regime change for the entire region.' 'Israel knows Arab and European countries will fall in behind these plans and in many cases actually help implement them.' 'It is a dreadful day for the Palestinians. Netanyahu's forces will be turned back onto them in Gaza and the West Bank.' 'It is just as dreadful day for the whole Middle East. Trump has tried to add Iran to the disasters of US foreign policy in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The US simply doesn't care how many people will die.'
Scoop
19-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
PSNA Congratulates Mercury Energy Abandoning Contract With Israel's Ormat
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is congratulating Mercury Energy's terminating its contract with Israel's Ormat Technologies to design the Ngatamariki geothermal power station near Taupo. PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal says it appears Mercury has acknowledged the legal jeopardy of Israeli companies operating throughout the world. 'The International Court of Justice last year declared Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is illegal and called on everyone to stop giving 'aid or assistance' to Israel which will help it to maintain its illegal occupation.' 'Mercury's decision is in line the ICJ findings and we welcome it as a victory for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign to isolate Israel.' 'No New Zealand companies should have any dealings with Israel, either directly or indirectly.' 'Israel is a rogue genocide and apartheid state – a threat and an embarrassment to all of humanity,' Nazal says. 'But the Ormat contract with Mercury is not the only one. We are now renewing our calls on Contact Energy to do the same and cut its links with Ormat Technologies.' 'If Contact doesn't follow Mercury, then I'm sure many electricity consumers will take the Israeli connection in mind and so switch from Contact to Mercury.'
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Israeli ‘Nine Truck Photo-Op' Doesn't Slow Gaza Genocide
The Israeli government approved nine truck aid convoy into Gaza is a cynical photo-op, according to the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. PSNA says the trucks are designed to appease and confuse both western news media and critics of Israeli genocide in Gaza. PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal says the Israeli Prime Minister is openly reported in the Israeli media that leading backers of Israel in the United States are concerned that blocking food and other supplies entering Gaza is not a good look. 'These American politicians completely back Israeli war crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing, but they worry that US and UK war supplies for Israel are in jeopardy if it looks like Israel is starving an entire civilian population to death.' 'The UN estimated that 600 trucks a day are required for minimum food, medicine and fuel supply. This was before Israel destroyed food production in Gaza itself. Nine truckloads – even if a few more follow – will make no difference.' Nazzal says the images of trucks entering Gaza will dominate what he describes as obedient media coverage. 'The indications are that Israel is escalating the military onslaught on Gaza to unprecedented ferocity.' 'Israel has wreaked nearly every building in the Gaza Strip. This new phase is to kill and drive the population of more than two million Palestinians, men, women and children, either onto tiny reservations in Gaza or into Africa. This is happening in full view of the world.' 'Leading international genocide scholars have just announced that Israel is conducting genocide. There are no ifs and buts about their conclusion.' 'We just hope that our Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, has been briefed on the most recent of Israeli war crimes and intentions.' 'He's scheduled to visit a number of South Asian countries next week. He'll be needing to end his silence on Israeli atrocities in Gaza and be able to tell foreign leaders what specific steps New Zealand is taking to help bring Israel to heel.'
