95bFM Authorisation of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank highlights silence of Western governments
19 July, 2024
Interview by Rawan Saadi, adapted by Ashley-Rose Redstone
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa National Chair, John Minto, says that the continued silence of the western governments allows Israel to violate international law unreservedly.
After more than 200 days of Israeli attacks on the Gaza strip, over 38,000 Palestinians have been killed and almost 78,000 wounded, leading to the internal displacement of 85% of Gaza’s population.
In early July, amidst widespread condemnation by the United Nations, human rights groups and numerous international governments, Israel made the move to authorise three new illegal settlements in the West Bank, located in sensitive areas that border Jordan and the city of Hebron.
In the last 30 years, Israel has built over 200 illegal settlements on Palestinian land, currently housing around 700,000 Israeli citizens.
Chairperson of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, John Minto, told 95bFM’s The Wire, that the silence of international governing bodies has allowed Israel to expand its illegal settlements without fear of accountability.
“Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank, they're finding their houses burned down, their cars destroyed and their olive trees destroyed at an increasing rate.”
“Because there's been no effective measures put in place by the international community to hold Israel to account, the theft goes on.”
Minto argues that Western countries have the capacity to demand Israel’s adherence to international law and United Nations resolutions, however, continued silence by governments such as our own, does not help to address the issue.
Minto also said that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s condemnation of the Russian attack on a Hospital for Children in Kyiv was hypocritical, given his persistent silence on the crisis in Gaza.
Under the United Nations Genocide Convention, state parties are obligated to take measures to prevent genocide, however, Aotearoa arguably has not abided by these needs.
“We must take sanctions against Israel, like we did against South Africa, like we've taken against Russia.”
“Our country is is not meeting its international obligations, and our key government ministers who have the power to act, then become criminally liable before the International Criminal Court”
Minto also said that Palestinian solidarity protests across the motu have highlighted the severity of the crisis in Gaza and allowed the mass mobilisation of advocates to press for action.
“It’s an ethnic cleansing, and war crimes being committed in a live stream to the world, and the world has not taken effective action to stop it.”
“It is more important than ever that we push that advantage we have at home with the government and so we shouldn't lose hope. We need to increase our efforts to get the government to take action.”
