NEW ZEALAND PRAISED BY ISLAMIC RESISTANCE MOVEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000611

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND PRAISED BY ISLAMIC RESISTANCE MOVEMENT
HAMAS FOR RESPONSE TO ISRAELI SPY SCANDAL

REF: A. WELLINGTON 605

B. WELLINGTON 599

Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COUNSELOR,
TIMOTHY ZUNIGA-BROWN, FOR REASONS 1.5(B,D)


1. (U) According to media reports, the Palestinian terrorist
organization Hamas issued a press release July 17 thanking
the GoNZ for Prime Minister Helen Clark's strong response to
the conviction of two suspected Israeli intelligence agents
(ref a). The press release urged other countries to follow
the model set by New Zealand in "adopting firm measures
against the Zionist entity's violations of laws on foreign
lands to achieve certain targets."


2. (U) The GNZ has been quick to renounce any sympathy for
Hamas. PM Clark noted that Hamas should not take comfort
from the GoNZ's actions, and if Hamas agents had committed
the same crimes, they would be subject to the same
prosecution. Domestic media reported separately that a
religious terrorism professor at Auckland University
suggested that NZ's position offers New Zealand military
serving in Iraq "protection."


3. (C) Comment: New Zealand continues to voice its strong
support of the Roadmap, but is loathe to take actions that
would identify it as a supporter of Israel and, by proxy, the
United States. The GoNZ prides itself on its multi-lateral
credentials (ref B) but has been increasingly trying to stand
alongside "Non-Aligned" countries. Its overly strong
reaction to Israel over this issue suggests the GNZ sees this
flap as an opportunity to bolster its credibility with the
Arab community, and by doing so, perhaps, help NZ lamb and
other products gain greater access to a larger and more
lucrative market.
Swindells