New Zealand calls for end to violence in Israel

By JPOST.COM STAFF
New Zealand called on Israelis and Palestinians to stop the current violence, during a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. New Zealand's permanent representative on the UN Human Rights Council, Don MacKay, said the Hamas leadership of the Palestinian territories must act to rein in the violence. "It is disastrous that recent events have led to the military wing of Hamas terminating its cease-fire with Israel and we call for it to be resumed," he told the Geneva meeting Wednesday. MacKay said kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit should be released, but he also condemned Israel for detaining members of the Palestinian government and expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. "Diplomatic negotiations rather than violence are needed to resolve the situation," he said.