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Protesters in Auckland urge Israel stop to its attacks on the Gaza Strip - Source: ONE News
Protesters in central Auckland have urged Israel stop to its attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The Palestine Human Rights Campaign says the attacks are no different from Nazi Germany's action against Jews in the 1930s.
More than 50 people gathered at the bottom of Queen Street holding signs and banners opposing Israel's recent military attacks.
Some were Palestinians living in New Zealand, while others simply wanted to show support for their cause.
Activist John Minto says they want to make the public aware of the Palestinian cause. He says the government's silence on the issue is something that needs to be addressed.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has released a statement saying New Zealand will not take sides on the issue but Minto says the public needs to put pressure on the government to take a stand. He says the government is automatically siding with Israel by not condemning the attacks.
And Green Party MP Keith Locke has accused the government of sitting on its hands as Gaza is bombarded but McCully is rejecting the criticism.
He says the government has called on both sides in the conflict to accept an immediate ceasefire.
