The issuing of visas which prevent NGOs from working among Palestinians has been condemned by TEAR Fund NZ.
TEAR Fund Executive director Stephen Tollestrup said issuing NGOS with tourist visas which prevent them working was another element in Israel’s `Matrix of Control’ to frustrate and intimidate the Palestinian population and their NGO advocates.

This week we chat with Dr Tim Meadowcroft – Senior theology lecturer at Laidlaw College, TEAR Fund board member and recent visitor to the Palestinian territories.

There are many stories out there now about the first meeting between Obama and Netanyahu as President and Primie Minister, most are based on the press briefing. You can read all the conjecture from reporters, but it is also good to see the thing they are reporting on for yourself, so here is the press briefing for you to watch.

God speaking to Abraham – “And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:8 (NRSV)
Before we go any further, it is important to point out that many English translations of this passage [...]

The leaders of New Zealand churches are deeply concerned about the dire situation in Gaza and support the call for an immediate ceasefire in the region
The escalation of violence and associated increase in civilian casualties is intolerable. It is time for concerted action to end the suffering of the 1.5 million people trapped within the 360 square kilometers of Gaza [...]

AS the death toll in the Gaza war nears 1000, Kiwis have responded quickly by giving to TEAR Fund’s Gaza appeal. TEAR Fund is on target to raise NZ$30,000 and anticipates raising more than NZ$50,000
TEAR Fund executive director Stephen Tollestrup said he is pleased that Kiwis are seeing past the politics of the situation.

In private conversations and in various places online where the Israeli/Palestinian conflict has been discussed, I have voiced my personal support for the Arab peace initiative that was adopted by the Arab League at the annual Arab summit in Beirut in 2002. Many people have expressed little awareness about what it actually is, so I thought I would put the [...]

I have decided to write this after my latest post about the Israel/Palestinian conflict led to a conversation that probably needs me to fill out some of my theological/biblical studies thoughts a little more. This is a very long article (over 4500 words) so feel free to not bother reading it if this stuff doesn’t interest you. If it is [...]

With the ongoing tensions and conflict between Israeli authorities and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank that has continued since the establishment of the state of Israel, there are many factors of burden that never receive any sort of publicity. The tensions often noticed are militant in nature – direct acts and reactions of force. It’s not often we [...]