The Wellington Palestine Group stages a protest march to
Parliament today. Photo by Ross Setford/NZPA.
About 150 protesters converged on Parliament today to
urge the Government to condemn Israel's assault of the Gaza
Strip.
Protest organiser Tali Williams, of the Wellington Palestine
Group, called on the Government to revoke the credentials of
the Canberra-based Israeli ambassador to New Zealand and the
current visa-free status for Israelis.
The group also called for the Government to cut non-United
Nations contact with the Israeli military, support any moves
to indict Israeli leaders for war crimes, ban goods from
Israeli businesses in the occupied territories and stop
government departments procuring Israeli goods and services.
Green Party foreign affairs spokesman Keith Locke was the
only MP to address the protesters, condemning Israel and the
lack of action on the part of the Government.
Mr Locke said Israel was guilty of war crimes.
He criticised the Government for not even being prepared to
call Israel's assault on the territory as "disproportionate"
to the rocket attacks it cited as a pretext for the attack.
The protest briefly held up traffic in Wellington's centre as
it moved from Cuba St to Parliament.
Israel has started pulling back its troops in the past few
days following a 22-day offensive that authorities estimate
has left 1300 Palestinians dead and thousands more homeless.
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