LAST WEEK the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) referred the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, three ministers in his government and two business leaders to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The PSNA charges them with complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by 'assisting Israel’s mass killing and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza'.
The 103-page referral was submitted by lawyers acting on behalf of PSNA. It is the first time that New Zealand political or business leaders have been referred to the ICC for investigation.
But despite its importance, the ICC referral has received next to no coverage in the mainstream media. It has been ignored by both commercial and public media.
This can reasonably be described as censorship by omission. The New Zealand mainstream media, like the western media generally, continues to frame its Gaza coverage in favour of the Israeli narrative. Its continued claim that Israel is engaged in a 'legitimate' war or conflict with Hamas, means it has only provided Israel with cover to commit genocide in Gaza and the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
But the media has been left with the thorny issue of reporting on an ICC case that accuses six prominent New Zealanders of being a complicit in a genocide that the media still says isn't happening.
What to do?
It has decided that its best course of action is to ignore the ICC case altogether. And, of course, that means it will not upset the very people who have been charged with complicity in genocide. It's further confirmation that the New Zealand mainstream media continues to provide coverage of Gaza that is neither fair, accurate nor comprehensive. Instead, it continues to favour the Israeli narrative.
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