Boycotting Israel

Winston as Foreign Minister address to the New Zealand - Israel Trade Association Annual Trade Awards 17 February 2006:

We were saddened to hear of Prime Minister Sharon's sudden illness and have conveyed to him, his family and the people of Israel, a message of support from the Government and people of New Zealand.
-Really? I was delighted to hear that the infamous war criminal was in a coma. How outrageous to purport to speak on behalf of the people of this country, to tell the Israelis that the people of NZ support a war criminal. That's not true, I wanted him to die at the time, but now I just don't care - that's not "support".

The Israeli elections come on the back of the unexpected outcome of the Palestinian elections on 25 January. These elections, which election monitors have described as free and fair, delivered a decisive victory to Hamas - and came as a surprise to many in Israel and the international community.
The New Zealand Government's response was that the election result reflected the will of the Palestinian people and must be respected. Hamas now needs to get on with the task of forming a government and getting to grips with a range of pressing challenges.
[...]
At the present time Hamas’ charter - which rejects Israel’s right to exist - sets it on a collision course with the West. New Zealand has strongly urged Hamas to end the violence and terrorism of its armed militias and recognise Israel’s parallel right to exist in peace and security.
Hamas now has an historic opportunity and responsibility to change direction and embrace the peace process.
The New Zealand Government’s longstanding policy has been to take a balanced and constructive approach to the Israel/Palestine conflict and this will continue.

So it's all suitably pro-Israeli for an Israeli audience which includes the Ambassador. Hamas is the one that has to do things, but the Israelis don't have any obligations from their occupation - at least none to mention.

We uphold Israel's right to exist within secure and recognised borders. At the same time, New Zealand considers that the Palestinians have the right to self-determination and to a viable and territorially contiguous state.
- Contiguous. So either Gaza and the West Bank must have a connecting land corridor or Israel can wipe out one of the two areas - that's the options given that official position.

Currently the balance of trade is weighed heavily in Israel’s favour. In the year to June 2005 New Zealand exports to Israel totalled NZ$16.8 million while imports from Israel were worth NZ$88.2 million.
It is clear that while Israel finds an open market for its products in New Zealand, New Zealand traders are not realising similar opportunities in the protected Israeli market.
Institutional linkages, through the New Zealand-Israel Trade Association, have a valuable role to play in facilitating closer trade ties between our two countries.

But never as close as the US is, or that Europe will be. Israel has preferential trade deals with the US and other countries. Winston says their markets are protected. It is making economic sense to boycott Israel if morality isn't sufficient. No doubt MFAT would never commission that study. Minimal impact on us though it may have. The only impact would be from the US, which is impact enough for our foreign ministry to never contemplate it.

Israel’s intention to reopen its resident embassy in Wellington is most welcome. This will provide further impetus to the development of a broad based relationship.
- No, the Israeli government representatives are most definitely not welcome here, especially after the Mossad espionage - they can fuck off.

And as for their Israeli/Mossad front bullshit New Zealand - Israel Trade Association - it's an organisation whose website is part of the cyber Israeli Embassy in Wellington - linking to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Hasn't been updated since 1997. But thanks for the handy list of companies to boycott.

[UPDATE: 5:00PM
Thanks to a commenter:
BIG.org.nz
- UPDATE ENDS]