By Simon O’Connor; published by the Israel Institute of NZ website…
Phil Goff, a former Labour MP, Minister, and High Commissioner to London, recently wrote an op-ed on the Israel-Gaza conflict, published by Stuff. Much was made of Mr Goff being a former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
I decided, as a former Chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense committee to write a reply, now over a week ago. To date, my reply has not been published. Granted, Stuff is under no obligation to do so, but one would think a bit of balance would be welcome including from someone who is also a former politician, involved in foreign affairs, and who has actually been to Israel recently.
I should add, regular Sunday opinion columnist, Damien Grant, engaged this topic well-after Mr Goff’s op-ed was published, but many would expect that a guest op-ed would be responded to by another guest op-ed.
Phil Goff has recently written an op-ed that repeats the usual grave allegations against Israel in its ongoing conflict with the Islamic terrorist group, Hamas.
Mr Goff is very welcome to his opinion but it also requires serious pushback, firstly around the gross stereotyping that Israelis are all for the war and its conduct, all the while warping the legacy of the Holocaust to suit his narrative. Throwing words about like genocide and apartheid does nothing but show a willingness to engage in emotional theatrics detached from reality.
Read Simon O’Connor’s full op-ed on the Israel Institute of NZ website HERE.
