The latest disgraceful offering from the IINZ attempts to associate Aotearoa pro Palestinian groups with white supremacist group Action Zealandia, by offering a poll with random statements taken out of context and asking people to guess which “antisemitic” group they came from. While reading the anonymously authored article, I was reminded of a quote from former Knesset Member and Minister of Education of Israel – Shulamit Aloni “Antisemitism its a trick we use.” The article itself mentions everyone from Prime Minster Adern, to well known humanitarian Roger Fowler, vintage activist John Minto to three little old ladies who admin the group Aotearoa Standing for Palestine. But its not the accusations of antisemitism so salaciously slathered around in the article that concerns me most here, its the imagery accompanying it.
So what concerns me about the imagery here????? On the left side we see pictures of Nazi’s that segues into Palestinian activist imagery. On the far right of the image we see a picture of Rouzan al-Najjar.
Let me tell you the story of Rouzan al Najjar. Rouzan was born on the 13th of September 1997, she lived in the village of Khuza, in the Khan Yunis district of Gaza. Her childhood in Gaza, was far from the peaceful childhood we would all wish for our children.From the second intifada, through numerous infamous Israeli operations with names like Cast Lead in 2008, Operation Pillar of Defense 2012, Operation Protective Edge 2014. And of course the immoral siege Gaza has been held under since 2007, not to mention the almost daily attacks, invasions, bombings, drone fly overs etc.
Despite living through war, siege and everything else that Israel throws at the citizens and children of the besieged Gaza enclave, Rouzan grew up into a beautiful well educated young lady, her chosen career nursing.
The 31 of March 2018 was Land Day in Palestine, it was also the first day of the Gaza Border protests, the protests were to carry on weekly. At some point Rouzan made the decision to go and volunteer to help the wounded, interviewed for Lebanon TV she described herself as a “rescuing human shield to protect and save the wounded at the front lines”. On the 1st of June 2018 this lovely 20 year old girl was killed, by an IDF snipers bullet, at the time, she and the other medics she was walking with towards Gaza border fence, had their hands up and were wearing white vests to indicate they were medics, on their way to rescue wounded.
After the killing of Rouzan the IDF refuted the claim she had been deliberately targeted, but not the idea that she may have been killed by a stray bullet. The very same IDF who on the 31st of March 2018 posted a tweet claiming their shooting was accurate and measured and they could account for every bullet.
But this is not where the story of Rouzan Al Najjar ends, because of the international condemnation of this dedicated nurse’s assassination, the IDF released a video purporting to be of Rouzan saying was she ” participating in the protests “as a human shield at the request of Hamas”. It was later found the IDF had doctored the Lebanese interview, as mentioned above, in which Rouzan states she was a “rescuing human shield to protect and save the wounded at the front lines”
Which brings me back to the anonymously authored article posted today on the IINZ website “Can you tell White Supremacists from Anti Israeli Activists”. The IINZ claims to be an independent think tank run by Dr David Cumin, Perry Trotter, and Ashley Church, whose goal is to disseminate to New Zealanders a better understanding of Israel, through accurate analysis, insightful commentary, and effective advocacy. I have to ponder what these lofty ideals have to do with this slanderously, scurrilous propaganda piece, that promotes Nazi imagery and associates it with a young nurse who died never knowing the joy of living in peace, tragically shot by an IDF Sniper, while trying to rescue the wounded. 8 years after her death, Rouzan is still not allowed to rest in peace.
In late February 2019 a published UN investigation into the Gaza Border shootings concluded that the deaths of many dozens of children, two journalist and three medics (including Rousan’s), were possible war crimes as they were easily identifiable targets who posed no threat to the Israelis.
Author – Sandra Ann
The Palestine Activists Handbook 