Israel's Pre-Emptive War Illegal, Unjustified
Israel's unprovoked and extensive bombing of Iran yesterday is illegal under international law. There is no allowable claim of self-defence for a pre-emptive attack; such a claim would validate Russia's aggression in Ukraine, and the US's attack on Iraq in 2003.
'The New Zealand Government needs to be unequivocal in its condemnation of Israel now,' said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington.
'The bombing of Iran has no justification. The Israeli state appears to consider itself beyond reproach in its conduct: in the past six months, it has bombed Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran all while it conducts the most vile genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and daily attacks against civilians in the occupied West Bank.'
'No one believes Israel's lies anymore. Time after time, Israel's claims have been shown to be completely fabricated. We didn't buy US President George W. Bush's claims about Iraq having 'weapons of mass destruction' in 2003 that precipitated the US invasion and murder of 1 million Iraqi people; and we are not about to buy Netanyahu's claims about an 'existential threat' now. '
'No one is buying Israel's false victimhood either: it possesses nuclear weapons and continues to be the largest recipient of US aid and weapons. Netanyahu has spent all of Israel's political capital with his craven determination to remain in power. The international consensus that has funded and facilitated the ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands is crumbling. Now he is trying to drag the entire world into war. He will be the last Israeli prime minister because he will destroy the Israeli state with his self-serving violence and war-making.'
'Aggressive war cannot be tolerated. Genocide cannot be tolerated. New Zealanders want our government to take concrete actions: expel the Israeli Ambassador, sanction the Israeli state and recognise Palestine.'
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Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- Otago Daily Times
US attack on Iran will worsen conflict: prof
The United States attacks on three principal nuclear sites in Iran will likely worsen conflict in the Middle-East, the University of Otago's leading international relations academic says. It comes after US President Donald Trump confirmed yesterday that US forces struck Iran's three principal nuclear sites: Natanz, Esfahan and Fordow — six bunker buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against other nuclear sites. University of Otago international relations Professor Robert Patman said that it would be naive to assume this attack would lead to any wind-down of the conflict. "I think it's reflective of the fact that Mr Trump and his administration are living in something of a bubble. "The idea that Iran is going to roll over after being hit by six bunker buster bombs and about 30 cruise missiles I think is fantasy. "I think this whole operation is based on a very shaky operating assumption that you can eliminate the threat by bombing it away." Prof Patman said Iran, over the years, had "never said it wants nuclear weapons". "It says it wants what many other countries have, which is a civilian nuclear energy generation capacity." Mr Trump was dealing with a "crisis of his own making". "He had a perfectly workable deal called the US-Iran nuclear deal, which was negotiated by the Obama administration, but Mr Trump proceeded to walk away from that — and of course, Iran no longer felt bound by its terms." Iran had the knowledge to reconstruct its nuclear capability if it so desired, Prof Patman said. "We have knowledge that most of the material at these sites was evacuated sometime ago. "So have the US just used very expensive bombs to little effect? "We don't know," he said. "I think many Middle Eastern countries will be pretty upset with Mr Trump because this could become a region-wide conflict now, particularly if the Iranian leadership decide they're going to make his life very difficult by targeting American personnel and interests." Prof Patman called the strikes against Iran "likely illegal". "Iran has said repeatedly that it is a victim in this situation. It's not the aggressor. "As the victim, under Article 51 of the UN Charter, it's got the right of self-defence," he said. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins said yesterday the government was pursuing all options for assisting New Zealanders stranded in Iran and Israel. As part of government efforts to pursue all options for assisting New Zealanders in harm's way, government personnel and a C-130J Hercules aircraft are being deployed to the Middle East and will stand ready to assist if needed. The government was also in discussion with commercial airlines to assess how they may be able to assist. The situation in the Middle East was "fast-moving" and it will take several days for the C-130J Hercules, scheduled to leave Auckland today, to reach the region, they said. Mr Peters called for "diplomacy", saying that would be the path to peace in the Middle East — not further "military action". There were estimated to be about 50 New Zealanders in Iran and 80 in Israel, he said. Last week, the last remaining New Zealand diplomats in Iran fled the country after the government made repeated calls for New Zealanders to stay out of Iran. Meanwhile, all New Zealanders in the Middle East — not just in Iran and Israel — were urged to register on SafeTravel. Prof Patman said while these initiatives were good and necessary, New Zealand could be doing far more on a world stage. "New Zealand has got an international reputation for, first of all, wanting the abolition of nuclear weapons, but also for pursuing its own non-nuclear security policy. "This US attack on Iran, in my view, is a reckless and illegal act — it's likely to make the world less secure rather than more secure. "It's time for New Zealand to press for the reform of the UN Security Council. "The UN Security Council should not be a bystander because one of its key members is breaking international law."
Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to the Editor: war, agendas and cricket
Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including what Jesus would do about Israel, the "agenda" of the previous mayor, and bravo to Adrian Seconi! What does it take to abandon neutrality? Nothing in recent times has shown how inept and outdated New Zealand's foreign policy is than Winston Peters and Labour's foreign affairs spokesman stating New Zealand is "not taking sides" in this highly dangerous unprovoked attack on Iran by Israel. That we can be so certain and decisive about the Russia-Ukraine war yet bottle joining the majority of the world's unequivocal condemnation of Israel is morally bankrupt and craven. What will it take Israel to do to get us to do the right thing? A nuclear bomb on Tehran? We cannot credibly be neutral here. WWJD? Last week in my submission to the Dunedin City Council when I opposed the Sanctions Bill against Israel, Cr Jim O'Malley asked me as a church minister "What would Jesus do?" I felt he was leaving out a huge chunk of the pie and just wanted to chew on one tiny portion. In hindsight though, as his question was put to me publicly, I would like to answer him in a letter to the editor. This is what Jesus would do: He would first point to October 7 and tell Hamas and those with them that they must repent for what they had done. He would then tell them they should lay their weapons down. Upon compliance, Jesus would then take the Israelis by one hand and the Palestinians by the other hand and He would sit down with them and say, "now let's talk about this". Jesus would then remind the Palestinians that the Jewish people have a covenant with God which gives them the right to live on all the Land of Israel — from the River to the Sea. He would ask the Palestinians to honour that covenant, and then he would encourage both parties to live in peace with each other. Spokesman, Coalition of 114 NZ Church Ministers Supporting Israel Incentives and sanctions I have no difficulty with Gerrard Eckhoff (Opinion ODT 9.6.25) expressing strong views even if they are poles apart from my own. I do have difficulty when his views are fanciful, serious exaggerations, or just plain wrong. An illustration of the former is stating that the imposition of a capital gains tax (CGT) is akin to "demanding money with menaces (which) usually results in jail time" He continues "It is the young and their future that CGT will ultimately destroy". An enormous exaggeration. Again: "The hope of a comfortable retirement that is rendered inert by a CGT" . . . and further: "CGT therefore will ultimately destroy the incentive to work, take risks and grow assets" By my reckoning, in excess of 150 countries world-wide collect revenue by means of a tax on capital. Can Mr Eckhoff show that social disintegration is rife on all or any of those countries due to their adoption of CGT? It was a great agenda It is time for a change all right, when a number of current Dunedin city councillors celebrate that they have left behind the "agenda" of the previous council and mayor Aaron Hawkins ( ODT 17.6.25). What did that agenda bring the city? The award-winning George St, enhanced community facilities, new Mosgiel pool, upgraded social housing, comprehensive kerbside recycling, protection for Foulden Maar, and much more. Happily there is a mayoral candidate who would bring real change to the council. Look out for Mickey Treadwell, Green candidate for mayor and a tech-savvy small business owner. [Alan Somerville is a Green Otago Regional councillor.] Column on Sparks knocked it out of the park Bravo, Adrian Seconi. You have hit the nail on the head with your article on the Otago Sparks missing out on the team of the year award at the annual Otago Sports Awards. Or, to continue your delightful cricket metaphors, you have played a perfect straight drive from the sweet spot of the bat, and it has scorched to the boundary. For all the reasons you have given, the Sparks have indeed "been robbed." To win nine of their ten round robin matches, for goodness sake. Imagine if the Highlanders did that: of course they would be our team of the year. The Sparks were so far ahead of all the other teams, they were into the final before the other places were finalised. Then on the day, they faced having to make a record score of nearly 300, thanks to a flawless century by Central Hinds' Maddy Green, who appeared to have put the win out of the Sparks' reach. Especially with Otago having three key players out with injury. Their team work, resolve, courage and skill was breathtaking, and an emotional watch for their supporters. As an ex-Otago cricketer (1961-76) and a member of the team when it won the Halliburton Johnstone shield for the first time, I could be regarded as somewhat biased, but I believe the facts Adrian has recorded speak for themselves. I also wish to thank both the Otago Daily Times and Adrian Seconi for the very high profile you consistently give to women's sport. It is without peer amongst news reporting in this country. And as a cricket lover, I can't wait for the return of Adrian's Notes from Slip each summer. Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@
Scoop
8 hours ago
- Scoop
New Zealand Government Feigns Neutrality In US-Israeli War Against Iran
New Zealand's right-wing National Party-led coalition government is seeking to portray itself as uninvolved in the murderous US-Israeli assault on Iran and neutral in the escalating war in the Middle East. On July 13, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Israel's unprovoked missile strikes against Iran as 'unwelcome' and 'potentially catastrophic.' He told reporters, 'The risk of miscalculation is high. That region does not need any more military action… What we want to see is the parties coming together and having a conversation.' Speaking to Radio NZ on June 17, however, Foreign Minister Winston Peters refused to condemn Israel's ongoing attacks, which by then had killed hundreds of people. Asked whether his government 'supports Israel taking this unilateral action,' Peters replied: 'we do not take sides in a conflict of this nature.' He called for 'de-escalation and diplomacy' but added that 'Iran is not an innocent player in this.' He said both sides were engaged in 'provocative behaviour.' Such statements amount to a falsification of what is taking place and a defence of Israel. The regime in Israel, led by fascist criminals, is engaged in a genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and has waged illegal wars against Lebanon, Syria and now Iran. Its aim, working with the full collaboration of the US, is to expand Israel's borders and redivide the entire Middle East in favour of the imperialist powers. The pretext given by Israel—that Iran was close to producing a nuclear weapon—is a transparent lie, just like the lies that Iraq had 'weapons of mass destruction' that were told to justify the criminal US-led invasion and destruction of Iraqi society. After President Donald Trump demanded the 'unconditional surrender' of Iran's government and said there were no plans to kill its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'for now,' the New Zealand Herald asked Peters on June 18 whether he would support a US strike on uranium enrichment in Iran. The foreign minister replied that 'we do not believe in war when we haven't fully exhausted negotiations and diplomacy.' He added that New Zealand was a 'small country, way out here in the Southwest Pacific… I wish New Zealanders would understand our limitations here.' The reality, however, is that New Zealand is actively supporting Israeli and US military operations in the Middle East. In January 2024, a group of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel were sent to Saudi Arabia to assist in the US bombing of targets in Yemen, in response to the Houthi forces' efforts to stop ships from supplying the Israeli war machine. New Zealand is a minor imperialist power allied with the US and a member of the US-led Five Eyes intelligence sharing network, raising further questions about its involvement. Asked during a press conference on June 16 whether New Zealand had received advance notice from the US about the attack on Iran, Peters replied, 'Well, we don't make those discussions public.' If the NZ military had foreknowledge of the illegal Israeli missile strike and kept quiet, that would make it complicit in the attack. The far-right Platform podcast's host Sean Plunket asked Peters the next day whether or not the NZ military personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia had 'provided any intelligence or material support to the Israeli operation' against Iran. The foreign minister replied: 'Even if I could confirm that, I would not be doing that,' because to do so would endanger the lives of these personnel. The entire political establishment is nervous about widespread anti-war sentiment in New Zealand, which has been expressed in repeated protests against the genocide in Gaza. The opposition Labour Party's deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni told RNZ on June 17, 'we don't support what Israel is doing and we don't support [Iran's] response either.' Like Peters, she called for 'diplomacy' between the two sides. Sepuloni expressed support for the government's decision to join Canada, Australia, the UK and Norway in imposing sanctions on Israel's extreme right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. She called for 'greater sanctions,' including on companies operating illegally in the occupied Palestinian territories. All of this is completely hollow and is intended to divert attention from the fact that Labour continues to support the military alliance with the US, which is funding and supplying Israel's military and supports the complete ethnic cleansing of Gaza and war against Iran. Previous Labour Party-led governments have sent troops to the criminal US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2022 Jacinda Ardern's Labour-led government, which included the Greens, sent hundreds of troops to Britain to assist in training Ukrainian conscripts to fight in the US-NATO proxy war against Russia. Labour agrees with the current government's plan to double military spending over the next few years, from 1 to 2 percent of GDP—at the expense of social programs that working people rely on. The aim, spelled out in numerous official documents and statements, is to prepare the military for joint operations with the US and Australia, particularly against China, which is considered the main 'threat' to US global hegemony. The war against Russia over Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, the war against Iran and the military build-up against China are all interconnected fronts in a rapidly developing world war aimed at seizing resources and markets and resolving the crisis of capitalism centred in the US. New Zealand's ruling elite is preparing to deepen its involvement on all these fronts, behind the backs and against the will of the population, who are overwhelmingly against war. The working class must take action to stop the war, but for this it needs its own socialist political party and strategy—in opposition to all the capitalist parties including Labour and its allies. The only way to put an end to war is through the unified action of the international working class to abolish the source of war: the capitalist system. Those who agree with this must take the decision to become politically active and join the Socialist Equality Group, which is fighting to build a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the world party of socialist revolution, in New Zealand. By Tom Peters, Socialist Equality Group 22 June 2025
