STEPHEN RAINBOW: HE SHOULD RESIGN OR BE SACKED, SAY JEWISH GROUPS

 

Zionist Stephen Rainbow has already offended Islamic and Jewish groups. Philipa Yasbek, a spokesperson for Alternative Jewish Voices and Dayenu: Jews Against Occupation says he must resign or be dismissed as Human Rights Commissioner.

APPOINTING A Zionist as the Human Rights Commissioner was likely to lead to trouble, and it already has. Despite only been in the job some four months, Jewish groups are calling for Stephen Rainbow's resignation or dismissal.

In a recent meeting, Dr Rainbow made Islamophobic comments to Philippa Yasbek, spokesperson for Alternative Jewish Voices and Dayenu: Jews Against Occupation.

'Dr Rainbow asserted that the SIS threat assessment shows that Muslims pose a greater threat to the Jewish community in New Zealand than white supremacists.' said Yasbek in a press statement. 'I was shocked that Dr Rainbow is so prejudiced that he misrepresented the SIS report to say the complete opposite of what is written in the document. The SIS report states that it should not be used to single out any ethnic community as a threat. It also says that white supremacists make up the bulk of violent extremists in Aotearoa.'

'The Human Rights Commission is meant to promote human rights and racial equality, as well as encourage harmonious relations between diverse groups. Dr Rainbow’s comments in our meeting were Islamophobic and completely contrary to everything that the Human Rights Commission is supposed to stand for. He is clearly unable to perform the role of Chief Human Rights Commissioner. He should immediately resign or be removed by the Government,'

Rainbow quickly backpedalled from his comments. He told a parliamentary select committee on Thursday that he was concerned that he 'allowed his words to create a perception there was a prejudice there. Please be assured that I take this as a learning, and I will be far more measured with my comments in future.'

However, Rainbow has denied Yasbek's claim that he had also made comments about anti-Semitism among Afghan refugees in West Auckland.

Yasbek told the media that the race relations commissioner and two Human Rights Commission were also present and that they should be interviewed to corroborate what had happened.

'There were multiple witnesses. I am concerned that he has impugned my integrity in that way, which is why there should be an independent investigation of this matter.' said Yasbek.

The chairperson of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, Asdur Razz, has backed Yasbek. He says he raised the commissioner's reported comments about Afghan refugees when he met with Rainbow several weeks ago.

'I raised it at the meeting with him and he did not correct me. At my meeting there were other members of the Human Rights Commission. He did not say he didn't say that.'

Stephen Rainbow was appointed Human Rights Commissioner by Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith despite Rainbow not being shortlisted as a candidate by an independent panel.

In January last year, Rainbow defended Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. In a column headed 'With every chant, Israel's case grows stronger', Rainbow took aim at activists like Green party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick:

' ...in New Zealand, to be on the Left it seems -if the kaffiyeh wearing antics of Labour and Green MP's of late are any indication- to be anti-Israel has become an integral part of the Leftist creed'.

The column was published by the so-called Israel Institute of New Zealand, a group with alleged links to the Israeli government and run by Auckland University lecturer David Cumin.