New Zealand s Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has expressed grave concern over the escalating violence. The growing death toll and the large numbers of casualties, including children, from Israeli airstrikes and Gazan rockets is unacceptable, she said in a statement on Thursday.
But the Palestine Solidarity Network says she s just tiptoeing around the issue. We will be demanding the Government to speak out and condemn Israel s racist, apartheid policies towards Palestinians and its rampant brutality against any Palestinian resistance, they wrote in a statement. So far, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has refused to apportion blame - preferring to tiptoe meekly around the issue.
Photo: Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto/AFP
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the rollout in the Cook Islands would begin on 19 May. It was expected to take six to eight weeks, and would then be followed by programmes in Niue and Tokelau - both are also part of the realm of New Zealand.
The government today pledged to provide additional Covid-19 vaccines to Pacific Island nations, so their total delivery would reach at least 1.2 million people in the region in the coming year.
It also announced $120 million had been reprioritised from Official Development Assistance this year to support Pacific Island countries to weather the economic storm caused by the pandemic.
RNZ
Photo: Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto/AFP
Covid-19 vaccines are poised to be rolled out in the Cook Islands from next Wednesday, and the New Zealand government has announced more vaccines and $120 million in additional support for Pacific countries.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs minister Nanaia Mahuta said the rollout in the Cook Islands would begin on 19 May. It was expected to take six to eight weeks, and would then be followed by programmes in Niue and Tokelau – both are also part of the realm of New Zealand.
The New Zealand government today pledged to provide additional Covid-19 vaccines to Pacific Island nations, so their total delivery would reach at least 1.2 million people in the region in the coming year.
The military action follows unrest involving Israeli police and Palestinian protesters near Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.
The outbreak of fighting is the most intense aerial exchange between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war in Gaza, and has prompted international concern that the situation could spiral out of control.
Mahuta says the launching of rockets towards Israel by Hamas is unacceptable and must stop . The growing death toll and the large numbers of casualties, including children, from Israeli airstrikes and Gazan rockets is unacceptable, she says. Senior officials met with the Israeli Ambassador yesterday. Officials underlined the concerning loss of life and strongly urged Israel to de-escalate to prevent the prospect of a widening conflict. They also raised their concern at the continued violation of international law and forced evictions occurring in East Jerusalem.