Government condemns claims of bias from Jewish Council

The Government has reacted angrily to New Zealand Jewish Council claims its stinging condemnation of Israel over the actions of the alleged Mossad spies is further evidence of bias against the state.

And it has indicated, if necessary, it is prepared for the long-haul if it needs to maintain diplomatic sanctions against Israel.


Emotions were fuelled after vandals attacked historic headstones on Jewish graves in a central Wellington cemetery overnight and spraypainted swastikas on them.

New Zealand Jewish Council president David Zwartz, also Israel's honorary counsel in New Zealand, claimed the Government's handling of the issue had added weight to the community's belief it was "anti-Israel".

He was not calling the Government anti-Semitic, but said the gravestone attacks were linked to the Government's criticisms.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff angrily rejected all of Mr Zwartz' claims.

Attempts to blame the Government for the "deplorable" grave attacks were ill-founded and would not justify silence in the face of criminal action, Mr Goff said.

Mr Zwartz also questioned why the two convicted men were being called Israeli spies by the Government, when they hadn't been charged for espionage.

The men's lawyers Stuart Grieve and Grant Illingworth also accused the Government of prejudicing their clients' trial by deliberately leaking information linking the men with Mossad, the Israeli secret service.

Helen Clark said the espionage charges were not laid because supplying the evidence would have been difficult.

Both Helen Clark and Mr Goff flatly denied leaking information about the agents.

- Ruth Berry, Stuart Dye and NZPA