Christian leaders denounce anti-Israel sanctions bill
A proposed Members Bill aimed at sanctioning Israel has sparked outrage among Christian leaders in New Zealand, who argue that it is biased, historically inaccurate, and promotes a dangerous anti-Israel agenda.
Chloe Swarbrick
The Coalition of Ministers Supporting Israel (COMS-Israel) has condemned the bill, urging Parliament to reject what they describe as a one-sided attack on the world’s only Jewish state.
The bill, introduced by Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick in December, seeks to punish Israel for what she calls its “illegal occupation of Palestinian lands.” Her proposal follows a UN resolution supported by 123 nations, urging sanctions against Israel over its presence in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. The Labour Party has since backed the bill, calling for even stronger action against Israel, including support for South Africa’s anti-Israel lawsuit at the International Court of Justice.
However, COMS-Israel, led by Pastor Nigel Woodley, has denounced these efforts as politically motivated and deeply unjust. The group, formed in October 2023 after the Hamas-perpetrated massacre on October 7, believes the New Zealand government is being manipulated by anti-Israel activists pushing a distorted narrative.
Public Backlash: NZ Rallies for Israel
On December 11, while Swarbrick addressed a small pro-Palestinian rally of 350 people outside Parliament, a larger counter-rally of 500 people stood in support of Israel. This grassroots demonstration of solidarity underscored New Zealand’s deep Christian and moral ties to the Jewish state.
COMS-Israel has outlined several critical flaws in Swarbrick’s proposed bill:
- Israel’s ancestral land rights: The land in question has been the indigenous homeland of the Jewish people for over 3,000 years. To claim that Israel has “no legal right” to the land ignores history and denies Jewish sovereignty.
- Hypocrisy on indigenous rights: New Zealand politicians rightly defend Māori rights to their ancestral lands, yet some refuse to acknowledge the Jewish people’s claim to their homeland.
- Anti-Israel extremism: Many of the bill’s most vocal supporters also promote the radical slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a thinly veiled call for the destruction of Israel.
Peace Through Negotiation – Not UN Meddling
COMS-Israel insists that lasting peace can only be achieved through direct negotiations between Israel and Palestinian leadership—not through one-sided UN resolutions or politically driven sanctions.
They highlight how Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas rejected a 2008 peace offer that would have given Palestinians 94% of the West Bank with additional land swaps. Israel has consistently shown a willingness to negotiate, while Palestinian leadership continues to walk away from the table.
“The only way forward is dialogue,” COMS-Israel stated. “Rewarding Palestinian rejectionism with UN-backed punishments against Israel only fuels further conflict.”
Will New Zealand Stand on the Right Side of History?
With the Green and Labour parties aligning with anti-Israel forces, New Zealand lawmakers now face a defining moment:
Will they stand with the Jewish homeland—the only democracy in the Middle East, a nation that has fought for its survival since 1948? Or will they bow to extremist rhetoric that seeks to demonize Israel and embolden terror groups like Hamas?
New Zealand’s decision could shape its moral and diplomatic standing for years to come.
