In the wake of Hamas’s October 7 massacre — the worst single-day slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust — streets across the Western world filled with protesters. Many were marching under banners that read “Free Palestine”, “Ceasefire Now”, and “End the Occupation”. Most believed they were standing for peace, justice, and human rights.
But an uncomfortable truth must be faced: Do they actually understand what they’re supporting? Do they know what the slogans mean, who the organising groups are, and what ideologies they are legitimising — even if unintentionally?
This is not just a question for London or Los Angeles. It is a question for New Zealanders.
Do They Know What They’re Chanting?
At almost every pro-Palestinian rally — including in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin — chants like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” have echoed loudly. The geography is clear: from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea encompasses the entire territory of Israel.
This slogan is not a call for peaceful coexistence or a two-state solution. It is a call for the elimination of Israel. It has been used by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other terror groups since the 1980s as a rallying cry for violent rejectionism.
To those marching, it may sound like a call for justice. But to Israelis, Jews, and others who understand the history, it’s a call for ethnic cleansing — the end of Jewish sovereignty and Jewish safety.
Do Kiwi protestors, who chant these words with such fervour, understand this? Do the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori, who openly endorse or appear at these rallies, know what they are aligning themselves with?
Do They Know Who They’re Walking With?
In New Zealand, the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) has been one of the loudest voices calling for sanctions on Israel, the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, and boycotts of Jewish businesses. PSNA frequently parrots Hamas talking points, promotes the idea that Israel is a “settler-colonial apartheid state,” and has even described the October 7 atrocities as “armed resistance.”
Its leader, John Minto, has repeatedly justified violence as legitimate “resistance.” He has praised groups that glorify martyrdom and actively downplays or denies Hamas’s war crimes, including the use of human shields and the targeting of Israeli civilians.
Yet PSNA is embraced by elements of the New Zealand political class. Te Pāti Māori has shared its messaging. The Green Party — particularly MP Golriz Ghahraman prior to her resignation, and current MPs like Ricardo Menéndez March — have echoed many of its slogans in Parliament.
These are not minor fringe figures. These are elected representatives who claim to champion human rights — yet ignore or excuse the rape, murder, mutilation and hostage-taking committed by Hamas, even as they amplify its talking points.
Do their supporters understand this? Or have they been seduced by slogans and simplified narratives that reduce a complex conflict to a binary of oppressed vs oppressor?
Do They Know What Hamas Actually Is?
To understand the stakes, one must look honestly at who rules Gaza. Hamas is not a liberation movement. It is a genocidal Islamist regime that executes dissenters, jails LGBTQ+ individuals, and enforces strict theocratic rule. Its charter explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews worldwide. It is proudly antisemitic — not merely anti-Zionist — and it sees all of Israel’s Jews as legitimate targets.
On October 7, Hamas didn’t attack Israeli military outposts. It sent thousands of terrorists into civilian areas — kibbutzim, homes, music festivals — to murder, rape, torture and kidnap. It filmed itself doing so with pride.
Since then, Hamas has fired rockets from hospitals and schools, stolen humanitarian aid, and refused to release hostages, including infants and the elderly.
Do New Zealand’s anti-Israel protesters, from the PSNA banners to the Green Party slogans, ever condemn Hamas by name? Or do they pretend it’s not relevant, choosing silence over moral clarity?
Do They Apply Their Principles Equally?
Liberal and progressive values should stand for universal rights — for women, minorities, queer people, and the oppressed. Yet many of those marching today show astonishing hypocrisy. They denounce Israel — a flawed but functioning democracy where Arabs vote, women drive, and gay pride parades exist — while ignoring or excusing the actions of Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and others who violently repress those same groups.
They say “silence is violence,” but were silent when Jewish kindergartens in Israel were hit by rockets, or when Jews were gunned down at bus stops. They invoke “decolonisation,” but cannot explain how indigenous Jewish people can be colonisers in their own ancestral homeland.
In New Zealand, the Consequences Are Real
This isn’t just abstract. Jewish New Zealanders now report feeling unsafe. Synagogues require security guards. Jewish schoolchildren are bullied. Swastikas and slogans like “Gas the Jews” have appeared at rallies and in graffiti.
And yet, parties like Te Pāti Māori remain unapologetic. When confronted with Hamas’s atrocities, they double down, accusing critics of “Zionist propaganda.” The Green Party remains disturbingly equivocal — offering token condemnations of violence while continuing to partner with Hamas-aligned groups.
If any other ethnic or religious minority in New Zealand were subject to this level of hatred, our leaders would act. Why is the Jewish community the exception?
Well-Meaning, But Misled?
To be clear: solidarity with Palestinians — especially civilians caught in the crossfire — is not inherently wrong. Wanting peace, dignity and safety for all is noble.
But too many in the liberal camp have substituted moral clarity for ideological conformity. They have accepted a deeply flawed narrative, pushed by groups like PSNA, amplified by political actors, and reinforced by media outlets that seldom provide context or balance.
They are marching for what they believe is peace — but they are marching alongside, and often for, those who seek war.
They chant about justice — but they lend legitimacy to terrorists who murdered babies and raped women.
They say they oppose hate — but excuse the oldest hatred in the world: antisemitism.
The Question They Must Ask Themselves
If Western liberals — including those here in New Zealand — knew what their slogans meant, who they were walking with, and what ideologies they were enabling…
Would they still march?
