By Te Ao Māori News…
A delegation of Māori leaders visiting Israel under the banner of business and innovation faces public criticism over its timing and purpose, while questions remain about how the trip was organised and the full extent of its funding.
The visit comes as New Zealand criticises the Israeli Government’s actions in the occupied West Bank but stops short of joining international moves to ban imports from Israeli settlements.
Northland Regional Council chair Pita Tipene is among those who have visited Israel in recent days. The trip is taking place against the backdrop of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, escalating Israeli settlement activity and settler violence in the West Bank.
In September 2025, a United Nations commission of inquiry concluded that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has rejected that finding.
Read the full story on Te Ao Māori News HERE.
