The Government showed some spine!

When the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced that New Zealand had supported the vote for Palestinians to achieve ‘Observer Member status,’ I was a little surprised. Usually NZ lines up with the Americans on UN votes. This time, even the Australians, our coussies across the ditch abstained rather than make a positive decision to help the Palestinian people. That says something about where they stand on resolving this issue. I am glad that we ‘thought for ourselves’ and came to the only decision that will move the situation in the Middle-East forward. Unless there is a basis for the two parties to talk then the area is doomed to further death and destruction.

 I am not anti-Israel. I fully support their right to exist as a nation and to be free from missiles and bomb attacks and the constant rhetoric that is thrown at them from hostile extremist governments. By saying that, I include the Hamas organization. They too have to pull back from the violence and continue to work through the UN to achieve their aim of attaining a ‘homeland for their people.’ That will not happen as long as they send their missiles Israel’s way.

Israel is angry about the vote. Yet, while the debate raged (along with the violence) they continued to build illegal housing in the occupied areas of East Jerusalem and the West Bank. That in itself sends a message to the Palestinians that Israel has no intention of giving up any land for the establishment of a new state. Until Israel comes to the table with a willingness to compromise on this issue then the tension will remain, breaking out into all-out war from time to time.

Both people have the right to exists. One must give some land and the other must stop the language of hate and stop the ‘jihadist’ actions that can only ever be the basis for war and yet more death. The USD has the ability to ‘lean on Israel’ in order to bring the two parties to the negotiation table. Other powerful nations need to stop using the area for their own political aspirations and support any move that end the terror suffered by the ordinary people on both sides of the debate.