Far from the killing grounds of Gaza, an incredible display of defiance to settler colonialism has broken out in, of all places, New Zealand. The two projects – Israel and New Zealand’s – are linked more than many would like to think. Palestinian leaders raise their voices in support of New Zealand’s Māori people at this critical moment.

New Zealand’s historic week kicked off with a war cry by a wahine toa (woman warrior) in the parliament viewed by millions around the world. The trigger was a piece of legislation that had just been tabled, seeking to up-end 50 years of steady progress on legal and cross-communal understanding of indigenous Māori rights.

Dispensing with parliamentary protocol, Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke MP launched into a haka (rhythmic dance/ritual challenge) as she tore up a copy of the Treaty Principles bill. Half of New Zealand were thrilled; half were outraged.

On Tuesday tens of thousands of New Zealanders of all races flooded the centre of Wellington in the largest, most colourful, song-filled protest the city has ever seen. Earlier, Palestinian leaders across Aotearoa (New Zealand) issued a joint statement calling for support for the hīkoi (march):

“Over the last year, thousands of iwi Māori, Pākehā and tauiwi [non-Māori New Zealanders] have stood with us for Palestinian rights. We call on supporters of the Palestinian cause – a cause for justice, freedom and self-determination – to do what is in alignment with these values. Standing against settler colonialism in Palestine means standing against it here too.”

At stake for Māori are their fundamental political, economic and social rights that are enshrined in the 1840 treaty Te Tiriti o Waitangi. These include water, fishing and land rights but also being........

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