Banksy on Christmas

Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, December 25th, 2015 - 101 comments
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101 comments on “Banksy on Christmas ”

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  1. Anne 1
    25 December 2015 at 11:30 am

    So poignant.

  2. JanM 2
    25 December 2015 at 12:53 pm

    When this appeared on Facebook it attracted a lot of really quite vicious comment from Israeli sympathisers

    • George Hendry 2.1
      26 December 2015 at 2:52 pm

      For more of the same, see lower in this thread. The Xmas spirit of ‘one horse open slay’ is alive and well. 🙂

  4. Manuka AOR 4
    25 December 2015 at 11:04 pm

    “They build walls, we build hope”
    “In a fraught Middle East, see how both sides celebrate the season of peace. Israel’s Ambassador trolls the U.S. with a defiant gift of “war crimes trinkets,” items from illegal settlements, to rebuke BDS “fanatics and fools.” In contrast, Palestinians march Santas through Bethlehem, “the city of peace” – before getting teargassed – and erect a sparkling Tree of Resistance. ”
    by Abby Zimet: http://www.commondreams.org/further/2015/12/23/they-build-walls-we-build-hope-palestinians-mark-christmas-santas-and-tree

    • Acrophobic 4.1
      26 December 2015 at 9:50 am

      And you believe that nonsense?

      • Manuka AOR 4.1.2
        26 December 2015 at 12:43 pm

        I am not sure whether by “that nonsense” you mean the Santas, photographed here by ActiveStills: http://972mag.com/photos-palestinian-santa-clauses-clash-with-border-police-in-bethlehem/114967/
        Activestills is a collective of Israeli, Palestinian, and international photographers, united by a conviction that photography is a vehicle for political and social change.
        They say: “The nonviolent Santa Claus march was dispersed with tear gas, after which young men from Bethlehem began throwing stones at the police officers, who fired more tear gas, along with rubber-coated bullets and live fire. At least three Palestinians were wounded.”

        … or the Resistance Tree: http://www.imemc.org/article/74320
        This is an olive tree that was killed by the wall, now lit up for Christmas.
        “The tree was decorated with both oppression and resistance tools, according to the PNN; It was adorned with bullets, teargas canisters, wires, walls, and also had the Palestinian Kufiyyeh, slingshots, and photos of Palestinian children killed or imprisoned by occupation authorities.

        “Photos included child detainee Ahmad Manasrah (13) who was shot and tortured by Israeli settlers in Jerusalem, under the stabbing pretext, and Ahmad Dawabsha (4), the only survivor of the Dawabsha family, who were burned alive by Israeli settlers.

        “The tree was surrounded by messages calling for an end to the Israeli occupation and lit with candles for the souls of more than 120 victims killed in only three months.

        “Inside the tree, PSCC planted another young tree as a representation of Palestinian hope and resilience, life emerging from the womb of death.”

        • Acrophobic 4.1.2.1
          26 December 2015 at 2:17 pm

          More nonsense. Believe the terrorist propaganda if you want, but the people of Israel have a right to defend themselves against the sort of unprovoked attacks they have endured since 1948.

          • Manuka AOR 4.1.2.1.1
            26 December 2015 at 2:31 pm

            Which part of the following, specifically, do you dispute as being other than factual:

            “Israel has killed 25 Palestinian children since the beginning of the Jerusalem Intifada in early October, a report by the Ministry of Health has revealed. The Ministry of Health added in its report that the number of Palestinian deaths from early October till the first week of December reached 115, including 25 children.

            The report pointed to the injury of 530 children, including 311 with live ammunition, 143 with rubber bullets and 26 by tear gas, as well as 50 others wounded as a result of severe beatings.

            Ayed Abu Qtaish of Defence of Children International explained that Israel killed 17 Palestinian minors during attempts to carry out stabbings; the rest of the 25 children were killed during clashes in the West Bank.

            Abu Qtaish told Quds Press that the vast majority of the killings took place during operations against the Israeli occupation, in which “the children did not pose a danger to the Israeli soldiers who, in turn, did not use gradual measures like arresting them or firing on their lower bodies.”

            He pointed out that his organisation documented Israel’s acknowledgement, in reports, that its police and army killed Palestinian children by shooting directly at them and continuously without prior attempts to arrest them.” https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/22708-pa-israel-killed-25-palestinian-children-in-the-past-two-months

            • Paul 4.1.2.1.1.1
              26 December 2015 at 5:50 pm

              Won’t answer.
              You really are wasting your time with this virulent troll. This new diatribe against the Palestinians takes him to a new low. Beats the climate denial we had the other day. He never engages in reasoned debate.
              He is best ignored.

            • acrophobic 4.1.2.1.1.2
              27 December 2015 at 2:57 pm

              The bias. You are being manipulated by propaganda. You are defending a people group whose faith stones adulterers, hangs homosexuals, bans Christmas (Somalia and Brunei) and generally represents a threat to freedom across the planet. Yet the nation you decry is a democracy, where arab and jew live side by side.

              Finally, your Palesitinian minors attack with knives, they are no longer minors, they are radicalised scum.

              • joe90 …
                27 December 2015 at 3:23 pm

                Yet the nation you decry is a democracy, where arab and jew live side by side.

                Arse, Israel is a racist nation where the death of Palestinian children is celebrated and half of all Jewish Israeli high school students say Arab Israelis don’t deserve the same rights as Jews.

                http://972mag.com/news-of-palestinian-children-killed-in-crash-met-with-racism/35543/

                http://972mag.com/poll-israelis-support-discrimination-against-arabs-embrace-the-term-apartheid/58258/

                Two girls with a sign that reads “Hating Arabs is not racism, it’s values.”

                http://www.vice.com/read/israeli-racism-gaza-kleinfeld-511

                • acrophobic …
                  28 December 2015 at 11:20 am

                  Israel is not a racist nation. Israel is a modern and thriving democracy, where religious liberty is honoured. Unlike most Islamic nations.

                  • joe90 …
                    28 December 2015 at 11:57 am

                    No, no racism in Israel.

                    //

                    Last November, a suspicious fire broke out at a school in bi-lingual school in Jerusalem that teaches students in both Hebrew and Arabic. Slogans like “there is no co-existence with cancer’’ were spray-painted on the walls. A classroom was trashed.

                    Soon after, Israeli authorities announced the arrest of three members of Lehava, an ultra-nationalist group well known in for its campaign against “assimilation” and marriages between Arabs and Jews. Investigators said the young men had attacked the school because it was a place “Jews and Arabs learn together.’’

                    http://uriblau.com/fa/

                    Here is a shocking fact from a poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute and reported by the Times of Israel: fully one-third of Israelis say that unlawful, vigilante violence against non-Jewish African immigrants is fine with them.

                    https://web.archive.org/web/20140816015250/http://www.thenation.com/blog/177697/racism-israel

                    • acrophobic …
                      28 December 2015 at 8:53 pm

                      You didn’t read what I wrote did you? Every country has racists. But Israel is not a racist nation. People of all races enjoy equal rights, unlike many of Israel’s neighbours.

                    • joe90 …
                      29 December 2015 at 8:37 am

                      People of all races enjoy equal rights, unlike many of Israel’s neighbours.

                      Just like their neighbours.
                      /

                      Crucially, while the bill affirms “the personal rights of all [Israel’s] citizens according to law,” it reserves communal rights for Jews only. In other words, individual Arabs are equal in the eyes of the law, but their communal rights are not recognized.

                      http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.628365

              • Manuka AOR …
                28 December 2015 at 9:09 am

                “You are defending a people group whose faith “

                You do know that there are around 100,000 Palestinian Christians on the West Bank and still 1,000 in Gaza, and that Christianity in Palestine is ‘as old as the religion itself’. From the International Business Times, 23/12/15:
                “There’s a surprising unity among Palestinians about one cause, which is always the same, and that is ending the occupation. Palestinian Christians feel as deeply as do Muslim Palestinians.” http://www.ibtimes.com/christmas-looms-gazas-fading-christian-community-eyes-life-outside-besieged-2235275

                And from America Magazine, Christmas Day 2015, on Christian – Muslim relationship: “Here in the Bethlehem area, it’s very good. We live together and we have a very good situation. We are one. We are all Palestinians. For sure, you can feel a difference in the cultures — or within the religions itself. But the most important thing is that we respect one another. They respect me. And I respect them. ”

                “And what about the relationship between Palestinian Christians and Israel?”

                “I feel the problem with Israel is this: They can do whatever they want, and no one outside can tell them not to do something. Whether it’s about human rights violations or taking more land for settlements, no one can tell them anything. They do what they want. Even now, they’re grabbing another section of the Bethlehem region for settlements—the Cremisan Valley. It’s an area where Christians are the majority landowners, and Israel is taking it now for new settlements. They’re building a wall which will block Christians from getting to their lands. It’s a clear violation of international law—even the Vatican has told Israel they must stop. But Israel will listen to no one.” http://americamagazine.org/content/all-things/bleak-christmas-bethlehem

                • acrophobic …
                  28 December 2015 at 11:22 am

                  It is not Palestinian Christians who are lobbing rockets into Israel.

                  • One Two …
                    28 December 2015 at 5:19 pm

                    Accusing others of being the protagonists while operating as one on this site

                    One of the lowest roles any human could consciously choose to act in

                    Internet protagonist

          • Stuart Munro 4.1.2.1.2
            26 December 2015 at 3:56 pm

            Shattila.

            • Paul 4.1.2.1.2.1
              26 December 2015 at 4:05 pm

              He won’t have heard of it.
              Wait till he googles it and asks his mentor what to write next.

          • Manuka AOR 4.1.2.1.3
            27 December 2015 at 1:12 pm

            “a right to defend themselves”?
            “People are questioning this one-sided support for Israel through the years, and people are questioning the Israeli narrative about what is going on, – ] ‘Is it really Israel defending itself against the Palestinians, or is Israel attacking a besieged and occupied people?’ ” ~ Dr Mads Gilbert http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2014/12/mads-gilbert-people-are-questioning-israel-2014121910554274803.html

            And here is another question: Is not war profiteering one aspect of this? This time last year:
            “Three weeks after Israel’s latest assault on the Gaza Strip concluded, Israeli military and political leaders attended a conference next to Ben Gurion Airport to sell the successes of what Israel dubbed Operation Protective Edge, which killed more than 2,200 Palestinians including 521 children. The annual conference, named “Israel Unmanned Systems 2014,” took place in business-as-usual atmosphere — even with a complimentary beer keg. But the fare was anything but humdrum. Among the offerings were suicide drones, “loitering munitions” that need to explode; a 16-year-old showing off high-tech robots designed by fellow high schoolers and future drone makers; and “premature” weapons, armaments that have not been fully tested before they are used on a live Palestinian population. Such is Israel the military power.

            “The conference showcased the latest drone technology and previewed the industry’s prospects to a few hundred international buyers, vendors, and military figures. Inside a private conference room, political and industry leaders gave presentations — speaking in military euphemisms that avoided any uncomfortable references to the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the 51-day bombing campaign. – See more at: http://bdsmovement.net/2014/israeli-arms-manufacturers-look-to-cash-in-on-the-war-in-gaza-12946#sthash.lpDPV757.dpuf
            – See more at: http://bdsmovement.net/2014/israeli-arms-manufacturers-look-to-cash-in-on-the-war-in-gaza-12946#sthash.lpDPV757.dpuf

            • acrophobic 4.1.2.1.3.1
              27 December 2015 at 2:58 pm

              Yep, a right to defend themselves. Read some history. Start with the arab attacks in 1948. You’ll be enlightened.

              • Paul …
                27 December 2015 at 3:05 pm

                Sabra and Shatila

              • Manuka AOR …
                27 December 2015 at 3:32 pm

                In 1948 Uri Avnery was right there, fighting as a squad commander and sending dispatches from the front line to be published in Haaretz. Now, in December 2015, he writes: “There is no such thing as international terrorism”.
                Excerpt: “Netanyahu tries to ride this wave like Hollande and company. He cites the Holocaust (likening a 16-year old boy from Hebron to a hardened SS officer at Auschwitz) and talks endlessly about anti-Semitism.

                “All in order to obliterate one glaring fact: the occupation with its daily, indeed hourly and minutely, chicanery of the Palestinian population. Some government ministers don’t even hide anymore that the aim is to annex the West Bank and eventually drive out the Palestinian people from their homeland.” (emphasis added)
                https://platosguns.com/2015/12/01/there-is-no-such-thing-as-international-terrorism-uri-avnerycounterpunch/

              • Naturesong …
                27 December 2015 at 3:37 pm

                You should go there.

                Speak to a variety of Israelis and Palestinians.

                I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised by the humanity and courage of the people you meet.

                It’s true that there are nutters on both sides. But only one side has the most modern army in the world, supported by the largest and most powerful army in the world.

                You’ll realise that Israel holds all the cards in this situation. All of them.
                Dig a bit deeper and look at the territories Israel has illegally occupied in the west bank and it becomes apparent that Israels aggression has more to do with water and arable land than religion.

                • Paul …
                  27 December 2015 at 3:44 pm

                  acrophobic is sadly just a nasty troll.

                • acrophobic …
                  28 December 2015 at 11:25 am

                  I have been there. Militarily Israel is vastly superior, and just as well too, considering the governments the palestinians have elected. Israel only occupies territories it won in wars of aggression against it. It beggars belief that after acknowledging that fact, apologists for arab aggression like you continue to support that very aggression.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    28 December 2015 at 12:01 pm

                    Which, by the same witless excuse for logic, makes you an apologist for Irgun terrorism and hotel bombings.

                    Why do you support terrorists? No-one here is cheering for Hamas.

                    • acrophobic …
                      28 December 2015 at 8:56 pm

                      Who said you were? But it is an inconvenient truth that Hamas is the elected Govt of Gaza, and Hamas is a terrorist organisation.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    28 December 2015 at 12:08 pm

                    Israel only occupies territories it won in wars of aggression against it.

                    Just like the former Soviet Union. No, wait…

                    It must be hard for wingnuts to remember which international laws to pay lip service to and when.

                    • acrophobic …
                      28 December 2015 at 9:00 pm

                      The Soviet Union invaded other territories. Israel’s occupations are totally different. They are most certainly illegal under International Law, but most terrorist sympathisers conveniently forget that Israel withdrew from Gaza and immediately the Palestinians started bombing.

                  • Naturesong …
                    28 December 2015 at 12:09 pm

                    I do not apologise for anything, least of all this “Arab Aggression” you speak about.

                    The world, and Middle East in particular is far too complex to be so reductionist without losing all perspective.
                    Your use of the phrase “Arab Aggression” also seeks to remove any context from the conversation, something critical to actually understanding what is going on in Israel as well as its relationship to surrounding countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia) and the US/UK.

                    If you want to understand what is happening in the Middle East, and Israel in particular, you need to revisit the modern history of the region.
                    I suggest starting with Sykes–Picot after WWI.
                    Useful also because it is entwined with our own ANZAC nation building myth.

                    When you have middle aged women attacking fully armed soldiers with kitchen knives, or young girls blowing themselves up at checkpoints it is a clear sign that the occupation has literally driven people insane.

                    • acrophobic …
                      28 December 2015 at 9:02 pm

                      The term ‘arab aggression’ is not reductionist, it is historical fact. Israel retaliates , disproportionately for the most part, but Israel’s Arab neighbours have had decades to live in peace with Israel. Some have chosen to do so. Those that haven’t will continue to pay the price.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                28 December 2015 at 6:51 am

                start with the arab [sic] attacks in 1948

                Cherry picking the ‘start’ date is another way to say “I’ve taken sides”. Why not ‘start’ with Josephus Flavius? Or with the King David Hotel?

                • acrophobic …
                  28 December 2015 at 11:26 am

                  1948 is the date Israel became a recognised sovereign nation. Go back to Isaac and Ishmael if you like. I prefer to stick to the subject.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    28 December 2015 at 11:44 am

                    The point, fool, is that violence begets violence: no amount of cluster bombs and illegal invasion of Palestinian land will make Israel safe: no amount of stone throwing will make Palestine safe.

                    Until both sides commit to peace with actions as well as words nothing will change. Or you can continue as an apologist for Gush Emunim.

    • Manuka AOR 4.2
      26 December 2015 at 11:55 am

      Abby Zimet also wrote: ” A peaceful holiday season to you and yours, and a reminder: The Christian and largely untroubled world today celebrates the story of a Middle Eastern family seeking refuge, as so many families from Syria and elsewhere do today; many remain stranded in strange lands where “there is nothing here for us, just emptiness.” Fellow-humans on a spinning globe, by mere fate more blessed, we owe compassion, comfort and if possible even joy to the least among us.” http://www.commondreams.org/further/2015/12/25/least-your-brothers-and-sisters

      • Macro 4.2.1
        26 December 2015 at 2:19 pm

        The Christian and largely untroubled world today celebrates the story of a Middle Eastern family seeking refuge, as so many families from Syria and elsewhere do today; many remain stranded in strange lands where “there is nothing here for us, just emptiness.

        Very True

        Which makes Christmas even more relevant today

        It is pertinent to remind ourselves that the Christian story of the birth of the illegitimate young son of a young mother forced by the state to travel (for no other reason than her husband to be was required to go to the town of his ancestors) where they were to be counted for tax purposes, occurred in a barn where the new born was placed in a cattle feeding trough because there was no where else for them to be. (akin to the many here today forced to sleep under bridges and in cars).
        The birth Christians “celebrate” is one which in reality is one of poverty, homelessness, and refuge. – which is where – if Christ is to mean anything – Christianity should always find its place.

  5. J Ryan 5
    26 December 2015 at 8:53 am

    I find it weird that such a distaste of Israel is so entrenched in some people when this country is simply defending itself against such a suppressive culture where human rights are abused, hate is preached and deep down resent western culture. Israel is a democratic, they accept gays, equal rights in a region where these issues are not tolerated. But the Liberals of the West, including NZs own make excuses for such hatred and suppression. Possibility visit Aki Muthali, Clarion Project to see one girls story, or visit http://www.honordiaries.com and get another prospective and why we need to learn to enlighten our understanding of what is really happening in the Middle East and Western society as Eastern culture spreads it’s influence.

    • Bill 5.1
      26 December 2015 at 10:18 am

      A Zionist state born from dedicated terror and still dedicated to creating terror. Can’t imagine why that would be met with any degree of distaste.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2
      26 December 2015 at 11:08 am

      Weirdness and speading influence explained in pictures.

      [I replaced the URL with the one you subsequently posted – MS]

      • DH 5.2.1
        26 December 2015 at 12:51 pm

        One Anonymous Bloke

        I’d ask that you didn’t link to content like that. The name of the site says it all; jew watch

        I’ve never been able to understand the old hatred, it’s depressing to be reminded that it’s just as alive and malignant as it ever was.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1.1
          26 December 2015 at 12:53 pm

          Bloody hell I hadn’t spotted the racist url: the result of a Google search for the image. Sorry.

          The image tells the story nonetheless.

          • Andre 5.2.1.1.1
            26 December 2015 at 1:06 pm

            Doesn’t show the Golan Heights…

          • DH 5.2.1.1.2
            26 December 2015 at 1:08 pm

            It doesn’t really, it’s just propaganda.

            The original mandate of Palestine had very large tracts of what we know as state land. It belonged to no-one as such. It could be called Palestine land, it certainly can’t be labelled Palestinian land.

            Further to that the Negev was claimed by the Bedouin, they don’t identify as Palestinian now or in times past.

            I’m of no doubt that Israel has confiscated land unfairly but that map is a dishonest fraud.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.1.1.2.1
              26 December 2015 at 1:17 pm

              state land. It belonged to no-one as such.

              Right.

              The map tells the story of illegal land occupation, which as you say, has indeed occurred. By an amazing coincidence, illegal land occupation has led to armed conflict in other parts of the world too.

              Perhaps this time things will be different.

              • Acrophobic …
                26 December 2015 at 2:23 pm

                There is only occupation because there has been Arab aggression. That’s the historical reality.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  26 December 2015 at 2:33 pm

                  There is only aggression because there has been occupation: you see how easy it is to write down vacuous drivel? No, of course you don’t: since you had to rote-learn the drivel you can’t be expected to understand it.

                  • acrophobic …
                    27 December 2015 at 2:59 pm

                    The aggression came first. See how easy it is to explain history.

                    • Paul …
                      27 December 2015 at 3:03 pm

                      zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

                    • Naturesong …
                      27 December 2015 at 3:48 pm

                      Your argument is that Palestinians were attacking Israelis with rocks and knives in before the modern state of Israel was created and Jews returned to occupy Palestine, their ancestral home?

                      The facts are against you.

                      And just as an aside, you do understand that Palestinians are a Semitic people right?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      27 December 2015 at 3:56 pm

                      It’s a piss-poor explanation, which makes it easier to recruit munters like you to narrow and one-sided versions of history.

                      Please explain Albert Einstein’s opinion of Menachem Begin in the context of your rote-learned narrative.

                    • acrophobic …
                      28 December 2015 at 11:38 am

                      “Your argument is that Palestinians were attacking Israelis with rocks and knives in before the modern state of Israel was created and Jews returned to occupy Palestine, their ancestral home? The facts are against you”

                      What facts? Palestine was the ancestral home of the Jewish people. They were promised a home in Palestine by the Balfour Declaration and subsequent international conventions. The arab population of Palestine and surrounding areas had an opportunity to engage in the process and refused, choosing decades of violence instead. As a result, the people of Israel (Arab and Jew) have turned Palestine from a wasteland into a thriving modern democratic economy.

                      History and the facts are on Israel’s side.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      28 December 2015 at 12:22 pm

                      Announcing that you’re “giving” land away that doesn’t belong to you doesn’t constitute an act of aggression, no sirree 🙄

                      Please explain how Balfour came by the land he promised to Rothschild.

                    • acrophobic …
                      28 December 2015 at 9:19 pm

                      “Please explain how Balfour came by the land he promised to Rothschild.”

                      The Balfour declaration was a statement of intent by one of the eventual victors in WW1, Gt Britain. Britain controlled Palestine under UN mandate after WW1, from 1920 through 1948, and it was under this rule that the Jewish state was gradually established until declaration in 1948. Virtually every nation on the planet endorsed Israel as a new nation. Regrettably some chose war.

              • DH …
                26 December 2015 at 6:19 pm

                “The map tells the story of illegal land occupation, ”

                I don’t think so. The (fake) maps are just the product of the endless propaganda that spews out of both sides in that conflict.

                Personally i wish people would shut up about the place and move on. So much media time & effort is concentrated on the I/P conflict, so much bandwidth wasted, so much UN time & resources frittered away, the big human rights catastrophes around the world barely get a mention.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  27 December 2015 at 12:13 pm

                  What’s fake about the 1947 UN partition plan map? They used different colours?

                  As for the rest of your comment, I’m sure that outcome would suit one side very well indeed. Personally, I’m capable of noticing more than one human rights violation at a time.

                  • DH …
                    27 December 2015 at 4:46 pm

                    “What’s fake about the 1947 UN partition plan map?”

                    You’ve answered your own question there. It was a plan, that pictured division of Jewish/Palestinian land never existed because the plan was never implemented.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      27 December 2015 at 6:47 pm

                      As the Economist puts it:

                      Jews, and the Israeli state, have, in fact, seized great quantities of Palestinian land in the territory of Israel/Palestine over the past 60 years. Israelis and Americans must acknowledge this fact to make any progress towards peace, and an accurate accounting of such seizures would be very valuable. But this particular map only confuses and distorts the issue, and seems clearly designed for propaganda purposes.

                      I note you ignored my second paragraph.

                    • DH …
                      27 December 2015 at 10:17 pm

                      “As the Economist puts it: ”

                      I fail to see where you’re going with this. The Economist supports what I’ve said here, pretty much in its entirety, so I don’t know what sort of response you’re expecting. Argument is done unless you want to dispute the Economist as well.

                      “I note you ignored my second paragraph.”

                      There was nothing there to pursue.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      28 December 2015 at 6:47 am

                      It’s pretty simple: the maps may not exactly match the territory in question: the story they tell (of illegal ongoing invasion of Palestinian territory) is nonetheless accurate.

                      Quibbling about the exact boundaries then ‘wishing’ people would stop drawing attention to the situation serves one side only.

            • Acrophobic 5.2.1.1.2.2
              26 December 2015 at 2:18 pm

              Indeed.

  6. Acrophobic 6
    26 December 2015 at 9:49 am

    The cartoon missed something. The missiles being fired from the ‘peaceful’ Palestinians into Israel.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1
      26 December 2015 at 10:08 am

      In that case it would also have to show the tanks, planes, clusterbombs, assault rifles, and full strength of the Israeli military, and then you could put it on Facebook with the tagline “find the Palestinian weapon”, and you wouldn’t be able to see the donkey so much as play it.

      • Acrophobic 6.1.1
        26 December 2015 at 12:26 pm

        Israel is a sovereign nation under attack from terrorists. The world recognises Israel’s right to defend itself. Get with the program.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.1
          26 December 2015 at 12:48 pm

          Palestine is also a sovereign nation, albeit one getting smaller and smaller due to illegal occupations – do you pay lip service to law ‘n’ order like a craven hypocrite or are you consciously amoral?

          I note that according to the “hawks”, terrorism is on the increase. Perhaps the “hawk” position is the problem: a bunch of knuckledragging kill-freaks and fear-mongers justifying anything their amygdalas tell them to do.

          • Acrophobic 6.1.1.1.1
            26 December 2015 at 2:25 pm

            And as a nation and a people group the Palestinians have waged a way ofaggression ever since the formation of Israel against her. They just don’t learn.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.1.1.1
              26 December 2015 at 2:29 pm

              All your comments reveal is that you have taken sides. I expect you rote-learned these beliefs like all your other ones.

            • mickysavage 6.1.1.1.1.2
              26 December 2015 at 3:11 pm

              Tell me Acrophobic does the throwing of one stone by an Arab youth justify the decimation of the Palestinian state?

              • acrophobic …
                27 December 2015 at 3:04 pm

                No. But who elected a terrorist organisation as their government? Palestinians. Who began bombing Israel within hours of having land returned to them in 2005? The Palestinians. I could go on, but history is on the side of Israel here. If it takes the decimation of the arab state inPalestine for them to learn to leave Israel alone,then that is what will happen.

                • Paul …
                  27 December 2015 at 3:07 pm

                  Are Begin and Shamir Also Considered Terrorists?
                  From the end of 1937 until the middle of 1939, in less than two years, the terrorist activities of the Irgun and Lehi claimed 232 victims with another 370 wounded – men, women and children.

                  http://www.haaretz.com/are-begin-and-shamir-also-considered-terrorists-1.369342

                • Naturesong …
                  27 December 2015 at 3:56 pm

                  Well the Israelis can only blame themselves for that.

                  Hamas is an insanity that is the direct result of the occupation and targeted assassinations by Israel.

                  Israel also worked incredably hard to disrupt and destabilise the moderate (and often corrupt) PA.

                  And what were they thinking when they killed Arafat?
                  Not peace thats for sure.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  27 December 2015 at 4:02 pm

                  leave Israel alone,then that is what will happen. [sic]

                  So the Kurds should take larger sections of Turkey, Iraq and Syria; France and Holland are owed some Germany f’sure. Afghanistan gets some Russia, and Iraq gets some USA.

                  Why do wingnut notions always look like massively incompetent hypocrisy? Are they trying to lure people into citing Hodson & Busseri or something?

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  27 December 2015 at 4:15 pm

                  but history is on the side of Israel here.

                  No it’s not. What usually happens to a state that starts with an injustice and then ramps it up even further is that it gets removed by those it is oppressing.

                  • acrophobic …
                    28 December 2015 at 9:22 pm

                    Israel did not start with an injustice. It’s origins were steeped in history and international law.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      28 December 2015 at 11:15 pm

                      Israel did not start with an injustice.

                      Imposing a nation on top of another nation that’s already there that had specifically said that they didn’t want that is an injustice.

                      It’s origins were steeped in history and international law.

                      It’s origins were historic – so was it’s loss. Israel hasn’t existed for 2000+ years.

                      And the imposition of Israel upon Palestine is fully against the UN charter of inviolate borders and self-determination and thus against international law. And the law actually older than that as well – it’s why Britain settled NZ via treaty in fact.

                • One Two …
                  27 December 2015 at 5:41 pm

                  Yes slaughter them, slaughter them all and take away the innocence of the children

                  That your comments support genocide by the apartheid state of Israel is par for the course for blood lusting Talmud pedos

                  • acrophobic …
                    28 December 2015 at 9:25 pm

                    Israel is not an apartheid state. But you’d know that if you’d ever been there.

                  • DH …
                    28 December 2015 at 10:44 pm

                    “blood lusting Talmud pedos”

                    Take your Jew bashing elsewhere you loathsome turd.

                    Fuck you people are disgusting. Dirty fucking hypocrites, you presume to take some kind of moral high ground and you let this kind of filth go by with not a goddamned word of complaint.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      29 December 2015 at 7:50 am

                      you presume to take some kind of moral high ground

                      Not very high ground though is it? Being opposed to an army deployed against children. More like a no-brainer.

            • joe90 6.1.1.1.1.3
              26 December 2015 at 5:20 pm

              They just don’t learn.

              Indeed, the past is a foreign country.
              //

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DknN1pDAZ6I

              “If you don’t stop throwing stones, we’ll continue killing you and we’ll gas you all, children, elders and women.. all of you are going to die”…

              http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/israeli-forces-gas-die-151031140951304.html

        • Paul 6.1.1.2
          27 December 2015 at 3:09 pm

          Were these people terrorists?

          Irgun Zvai Leumi, ( Hebrew: National Military Organization) byname Etzel, Jewish right-wing underground movement in Palestine, founded in 1931. At first supported by many nonsocialist Zionist parties, in opposition to the Haganah, it became in 1936 an instrument of the Revisionist Party, an extreme nationalist group that had seceded from the World Zionist Organization and whose policies called for the use of force, if necessary, to establish a Jewish state on both sides of the Jordan.
          Irgun committed acts of terrorism and assassination against the British, whom it regarded as illegal occupiers, and it was also violently anti-Arab. Irgun participated in the organization of illegal immigration into Palestine after the publication of the British White Paper on Palestine (1939), which severely limited immigration. Irgun’s violent activities led to execution of many of its members by the British; in retaliation, Irgun executed British army hostages.
          Irgun’s members were extremely disciplined and daring, and their actions included the capture of ÊżAkko (Acre) prison, a medieval fortress that not even Napoleon had succeeded in capturing. In the last days of the British mandate, it captured a large part of the city of Yafo (Jaffa).
          On July 22, 1946, Irgun blew up a wing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, killing 91 soldiers and civilians (British, Arab, and Jewish). On April 9, 1947, a group of Irgun commandos raided the Arab village of Dayr Yāsīn (modern Kefar Shaʟul), killing about 100 of its inhabitants.
          After the creation of Israel in 1948 Irgun’s last units disbanded and took the oath of loyalty to the Israel Defense Forces on September 1, 1948. Politically, it was the precursor of the កerut (Freedom) Party, one of Israel’s most militant right-wing groups, which later merged with the Liberals into the Gaáž„al Party.

          http://www.britannica.com/topic/Irgun-Zvai-Leumi

        • Stuart Munro 6.1.1.3
          27 December 2015 at 4:19 pm

          The world does nor recognise or admire the disproportionate use of force. Nor does Israel enjoy a privileged position of right – there was no high moral ground to be had in the early years of the fight. As the balance of power swung behind the new Israeli state, the responsibility to move away from the gratuitous abuse of force increasingly falls to them.

          http://www.deiryassin.org/op0005.html

          In more recent times, Israel’s extremist leaders, especially Sharon, were certainly war criminals. But the US never met a dictator they didn’t like – from Hussein to Pinochet – which should be an obvious warning sign about the traitor John Key – they like him because he consistently betrays his country for their convenience.

  7. Morrissey 7
    28 December 2015 at 2:44 pm

    Acrophobic’s bizarre, dishonest, ignorant and hate-filled posts remind me of Dame Lesley “I’ve just come back from Israel” Max.

    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17082011/#comment-365445

    • Paul 7.1
      28 December 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Acrophobic has shown himself to be a virulent troll.
      Climate denial and now undying support for an apartheid state.

  8. One Two 8
    28 December 2015 at 6:11 pm

    http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/12/24/443019/Israel-chemical-substances-farms-crops-Gaza-Strip-Khan-Yunis/

    Israeli planes have reportedly sprayed chemical substances on farmlands across the besieged Gaza Strip, killing off the crops in the already impoverished Palestinian territory

    Due to the decline in production and Israel’s ban on the entry of basic commodities, Gazan farmers have resorted to the use of banned chemical substances to maximize crop yield. This poses a serious health hazard to both farmers and their consumers.

    Meanwhile, the United Nations has expressed concerns over the excessive use of toxic pesticides by Gaza farmers

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  • Flooding Housing Policy

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  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

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  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

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  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

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  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

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  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
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  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

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  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
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  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

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  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te PokapĆ« Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
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    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
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    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kƍrero, he kƍrero, he kƍrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kƍrero to a ministerial ...
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    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
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    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatƫ rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
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    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
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    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. â€œFor too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
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    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
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    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
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    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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