UN voting riles local marchers

By JO-MARIE BROWN and JOHN ARMSTRONG

New Zealand's abstention from a United Nations resolution condemning Israel's "excessive use of force" against Palestinian civilians has outraged Auckland's Palestinian community.

Around 250 Palestinian supporters marched down Queen St yesterday to protest against recent Middle East violence and to show their support of Palestinian human rights.

News that New Zealand had abstained from a General Assembly resolution on Saturday, which condemned Israel's excessive use of force against Palestinians, was greeted with anger.

The resolution was passed by 92 votes to six, but 46 countries, including Australia, Britain and Canada, abstained. Israel, the United States and four Pacific Ocean states voted against the motion.

The non-binding resolution condemned acts of violence and Israel's excessive use of force against civilians.

Green Party MP and Foreign Affairs spokesman Keith Locke, who marched, accused the New Zealand Government of double standards.

"We opposed the occupation of East Timor, we opposed the occupation of Kuwait, why don't we oppose the occupation of Palestinian lands and the defiance of UN resolutions?"

He said New Zealand's abstention was a "shameful act because we have not met our international responsibilities to the Palestinian people."

A protester, Rameez Mohideen, questioned why New Zealand had not spoken out in support of Palestine.

"Kiwis should stand for justice but they have kept quiet. Why? They should criticise Israel's behaviour and publicly condemn it."

But Auckland Jewish Council chairwoman Wendy Ross described the UN resolution as one-sided, and said it was proper that New Zealand abstained.

Palestinians had provoked many violent clashes and were placing their own children in danger, she said.

A senior member of Auckland's Palestinian community, Hussein Aweidah, said Palestinians living in New Zealand supported the stand their people were taking against Israel, but they genuinely wanted peace also.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said last night that New Zealand had supported European Union efforts to make the resolution "more even-handed" and also recognised the Palestinians' responsibility to refrain from violence.

"The blame rests on both sides. It is simply not one-sided in terms of where you can level responsibility."

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