Free Palestine! The Protest Movement in Aotearoa

It has been nearly two years since 7 October 2023, and the subsequent genocidal onslaught against Palestinians; two years of mass murder being broadcast around the world. The majority of people can see what’s going on and are outraged, not only by the actions of Israel, but by the inaction of our own “representatives”. Despite […]

Hands Off Iran!

Following failed attempts to convince Palestinians to turn on Hamas by arming opportunist gangs in Gaza and inflating Gaza’s anti-leadership sentiment (and finding no shortage of support in Western media outlets, backed by political cowards who equate the roles of Israel and Hamas), the state of Israel is now trying to do the same in […]

The Student Protest Movement for Palestine

“It has been a little less than a year since I started attending these protests […] At first I marked them out by numbers: the first protest, the second. Then by location: Tauranga,  Palmerston North, The Embassy, Parliament. Still more passed and they started becoming milestones: the first time I led the chants, the time […]

Palestine – No Rest Until Liberation

At the time of writing, a ceasefire deal has finally been agreed to between Hamas and the Israeli government. This in and of itself is welcome of course, and frankly the deal is much better for Hamas than it is for Israel. Israeli journalist Yossi Yehoshua asserts “There’s no need to sugarcoat the reality: the […]

Processes versus People: The Clocktower Protest for Palestine

On Wednesday 9 October around 200 students, staff, and members of the Dunedin public marched from the Otago Museum Reserve, through the Link (the University of Otago’s primary ‘hub’) and to the University of Otago Clocktower, singing and chanting as they went – calling for Boycott, Divestment and Sanction action against Israel. The action was […]

Strawberries, Olives, Oranges: Israel’s War as Ecocide

North Gaza is famous for its strawberries. Harvest season, in the northern hemisphere, is from December through to March. Normally thousands would be employed gathering the fruit to bring it to market across Palestine. This year, as they were killing thousands of Palestinian civilians in their ongoing attacks, Israeli forces also used bulldozers and heavy […]

Capitalism is the Connection

The following was delivered as a speech at a rally for Palestine in Dunedin on July 6, 2024. Kia ora tātou, my name is Oscar Bartle, I’m a socialist activist and member of the International Socialist Organisation. I’ve been involved in Palestine solidarity work since October 7th and have been an organiser for these rallies. […]

Healthcare workers in solidarity with Palestine

On 11 October, the fifth day of the war on Gaza, emergency services at Al Shifa Hospital received a call from a nearby neighbourhood. The assault by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) had caused mass casualties in the vicinity of the Karni Crossing.  Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances had to wait to receive clearance from Israel. The […]

The New Movement for Palestine in Aotearoa New Zealand

All out April 7! Justice for Palestine have called this day for a major mobilisation in Wellington in solidarity with the Palestinian people. As the genocidal destruction in Gaza enters a new, even more horrifying, phase, it is essential we sustain the pressure. Publicise, mobilise, act: let’s make this next demonstration as big as we […]

Union Response to the War on Gaza

Palestinian unions are urging global unions to show solidarity and refuse to support the ongoing destruction in Gaza, including hospitals, ambulances, and refugee centres. Calling on unions internationally:  To refuse to build weapons destined for Israel. To refuse to transport weapons to Israel. To pass motions in their trade union to this effect. To take […]