UnionAID has joined a group of NGOs, community organisations, and church groups calling on the government to grant emergency humanitarian visas to Palestinians in Gaza who have family members in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The NGOs have signed an open letter addressed to PM Chris Luxon, Minister of Immigration Erica Stanford, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters stating the situation is urgent.
The open letter follows the calls from the Palestinian community in New Zealand for these visas, and lists the devastating human toll of the situation in Gaza, as well as the severe and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis, as reasons for the government to facilitate the evacuation of these family members immediately.
The open letter highlights New Zealand’s humanitarian response to Ukrainian and Afghan families as a precedent for creating resettlement pathways for Palestinian families in Gaza, and calls for diplomatic assistance to facilitate their evacuation as well as robust resettlement support once in NZ.
Organisations who have signed the open letter
- Palestinian Youth Aotearoa
- Justice for Palestine
- Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
- World Vision NZ
- Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
- TearFund NZ
- Save the Children NZ
- Greenpeace Aotearoa
- Christian World Service
- ActionStation
- HOST International Aotearoa New Zealand
- The Refugee Alliance
- ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum
- JustCommunity
- Asylum Seeker Support Trust
- Sakinah Community Trust
- Sh’ma Koleinu | Alternative Jewish Voices
- Aotearoa Christians for Peace in Palestine
- Sudanese Society in New Zealand
- UNESCO Chair on Dance and Social Inclusion, University of Auckland
- Waikato Arab Social Club
- New Zealand Arab Association
- UnionAID
- Migrant Action Trust
- Mahi Mihinare | Anglican Action
- Anglican Advocacy
- Common Grace Aotearoa
- Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
- Dayenu: New Zealand Jews Against Occupation
- English Language Partners NZ
- Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies, University of Auckland
- National Tertiary Network to Support Refugee Background Students
- Te Ao o Rongomaraeroa | National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago
- Kā Rakahau o Te Ao Tūroa | Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago
