Māori-led Hui to support Israel

24 Oct

October 7, 2023, will be a stain on Jewish history that will not be forgotten. After the Holocaust, the phrase was coined, ‘Never again’, and yet now the Jewish people have endured a slaughter incomprehensible in its brutality and depravity.

A week after the tragic event, a hui was hosted by Māori leaders in the North to show support for Israel and the Jewish people in their time of mourning and trauma. The hui included representatives from Ratana, Kiingitanga, Ngāpuhi, Ngati Whatua, Te Arawa and various churches. Guests gathered from as far afield as the Bay of Plenty and Waikato to express their aroha and to grieve with the Jewish Community. A small representation from the Jewish community participated in the event.

Henri Eliot, Honorary Consul for Israel attended with his wife. He commented,

I was so moved listening to the leaders and representatives from Ngāpuhi, Ngati Whatua, Ratana movement, Kiingitanga and Northern Church leaders showing their beautiful and heartfelt support for Israel. The genuine warm hospitality included a generous and delicious shared meal afterwards. These are such amazing and sincere people.

Another Jewish family who attended the hui, had the previous evening experienced the intimidation of pro-Palestinian supporters who disrupted the lighting of the Auckland Museum. The lighting of the Museum in the colour of the Israeli flag was intended to be a show of sympathy for the victims of 7 October. However, the lighting only lasted a half an hour before hordes of pro-Palestinian supporters invaded the grounds with cars, tooting horns and disembarking from their cars to surround and intimidate the few people that had gathered.

The family afterwards wrote:

We wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous warmth and support extended to us during our recent visit to the Northern Hui.
Your unwavering commitment to our shared objectives deeply touched us. The acknowledgment of our mutual values, your support for the New Zealand Jewish community and the State of Israel lifted our spirits immeasurably.
After the hostility we experienced at the museum the night before, your understanding and kindness was a beacon of hope and solidarity. We had simply hoped to photograph the museum, beautifully lit in remembrance of the October 7th massacre.
To our dismay, we found ourselves amidst a crowd of violent and abusive Hamas supporters. As Kiwis, we've always valued our nation's emphasis on dialogue and debate, even when faced with disagreements.
Our culture champions the idea of resolving differences through constructive conversation rather than confrontations. Experiencing such intense aggression, especially in a place we consider home, was deeply unsettling. It felt wholly uncharacteristic of the New Zealand values we hold dear.
We deeply appreciated the manaakitanga you showed us, and the opportunity to meet and connect with everyone was truly special.
Here's to unity, collaboration, and a continued journey of purpose for our communities.

The leaders of the hui subsequently wrote a strong letter of opposition to the statements from Te Pāti Māori and their call for the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador.

Indeed, northern iwi leaders, spearheaded by the late Kaumatua Pat Ruka have been instrumental in developing a warm relationship with Israel. In 2017, when the ambassador was recalled, Matua Pat Ruka organised a powhiri to welcome him back and to apologise for the wrongful actions of our government in co-sponsoring UN Resolution 2334.

In 2021, Ruka also initiated a Powhiri in Waitangi for the new ambassador HE Ran Yaakoby.

Ruka was the custodian of the story of his tupuna, who held the Jewish people in high regard, and offered to shelter Jewish refugees on their land after the Holocaust. This offer was scorned by the government of the day. That aroha, commitment and support for Israel and the Jewish people continues to this day.

Pastor Tawhiri Littlejohn, (Ngāpuhi and Ngati Whatua) hui organiser stated,

Our position over the Gaza conflict is that we stand with Israel. We condemn the terrorist acts of Hamas and support Israel's right to defend the country and citizens. We have a deep connection with Israel and feel that our stand with them is important at this time.