We are not in accord with the ‘harmony accord’.
Mark Mitchell’s Ministry of Ethnic Communities has persuaded a small number of Muslim and Jewish organisations to sign a ‘harmony accord’. AJV was invited, took part in a number of discussions, and declined the offer. We have released a joint statement with the Islamic Council of New Zealand of our shared reasons.
The case for being in that room has been stated in detail. We accept that participants assessed risks and benefits and used their best judgement. We write not to undermine them, but to state the Jewish case for applying pressure on this government and its initiative from outside the accord.
In our view, this accord offers government access and resources at the cost of validating the narrative of power, placing human rights on the back burner, and excluding Palestinians. That does not accord with our values.
Of what value is selective access – is it not the role of government to listen to the community rather than the converse? We have pleaded with this government to intervene in grotesque crimes for nearly two years. During that time, we have watched the government try to dismantle Te Tiriti, undermine labour rights; and the list goes on. We want to change this government, not be cordial to it.
The harmony accord proceeds from the problem statement that genocide and government indifference can cause social disharmony in Aotearoa. That is true – but the disharmony has never been between the Jewish and Muslim religions. There is disharmony between the street and the backrooms of power; between society and the far Right and disinformation networks that seek to undermine society; between the great majority of New Zealanders and the White Christian nationalist use of religion to intimidate and incite.
An accord between some Jews and Muslims is not the way to address any of those. New Zealand has multiple interfaith initiatives including a faith leaders’ forum. Those are better placed to carry out faith-based advocacy. Those should be resourced and tasked, rather than funding or rewarding one more council to start from scratch. With starvation stalking Gaza, how can it possibly be anyone’s priority to negotiate the operations of a new council?
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The Jewish community is represented in this accord by the exclusively Zionist NZ Jewish Council, the Holocaust Centre (which denies that another genocide is taking place in Gaza), the Community Security Group and Dayenu.
This accord revives the flagging Jewish Council, an unelected group chosen by Zionist institutions. We have for years protested their hollow claims of representation. These days, the Jewish Council struggles for language to say that they regret Netanyahu’s extremes but wish to perpetuate Jewish supremacy. Such rearguard Zionist apologetics endanger Jewish safety by continuing to blur Jewish identity with Israel. The NZ Jewish Council cannot bring themselves to envision a future grounded the findings of international courts and our inalienable equality.
At no time in our discussions of this accord did we ever hear that the Community Security Group would be a signatory. Had we known, we would have walked out upon hearing.
The Community Security Group politicises the work of protecting Jewish places. AJV has for years objected to their reporting of individual Kiwis’ social media and other speech to the embassy of Israel in the guise of “anti-Zionist antisemitism”. Their inclusion gives Israel a seat at the table, nothing less.
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AJV took part in initial discussions of the accord, and had a hand in drafting V1 of the accord. Unlike that V1, the final accord documents do not recognise human rights, nor the role of international courts as the basis for finding peace with justice. The accord’s rationale began with Gaza, but it now contains no vision for advocacy, bringing war criminals to account, and supporting Palestinians’ work for a just co-existence. Participants in the accord are not required to embrace our global agreement of human equality.
As we informed the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and others within the accord, when we realised how the accord had changed, AJV declined to sign.
Should we sit around a table with those who disagree? Sure. However, human rights and international law are not opinions. They are our global norms. They are where discussion begins. No one should have to enter a room, especially a room under government auspices, knowing that they will have to ask for that to which every human being is entitled.
There is no direct Palestinian representation in this accord. By framing discord as a religious matter; by including the Jewish Council who deny Palestinian rights, and the Community Security Group who report on individual New Zealanders to the Israeli embassy; perhaps the council came to feel hostile or unproductive.
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In these ways, AJV believes that this accord has validated the worst of the status quo. We must do more than ask for the marginal reform of the status quo.
Minister Mark Mitchell says he hopes this signing will be a precedent. Perhaps he hopes for a series of signings to take up the year before the next election.
AJV will work ceaselessly for justice in Palestine, in partnership with Palestinians, Tangata Whenua, and our global movement. We will work with local and international partners who believe that we need new Jewish community – community that will not replicate the harms we are witnessing in Palestine. We will change this government in partnership with all those whose interests and rights have been undermined. None of those are back room functions requiring government funds or recognition.
The real coalition is the one we will build in the street.
Feed Gaza. End Israel’s illegal occupation. Feed Gaza. Implement the decisions of international courts, including the arrest warrants for Israel’s leaders. Feed Gaza. Let justice take root.
Alternative Jewish Voices
Sh'ma Koleinu - Alternative Jewish Voices (NZ) 