Promotion of ‘Genocide hotline’ must end, says top Human Rights Commissioner

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

John Minto during the pro-Palestine march in Christchurch last year.

New Zealand’s Chief Human Rights Commissioner has called out a “Genocide Hotline” advertised by activist John Minto, saying it is “potentially harmful” and “must end”.

The commissioner, Dr Stephen Rainbow, said although the promotion may not be unlawful, he saw it as “potentially harmful to Israeli and Jewish people in Aotearoa New Zealand”.

“This sort of action has the risk of a ripple effect which may cause harm in the community,” he said.

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Dr Stephen Rainbow said the “Genocide Hotline“ campaign “must end”.

“We call on those behind the hotline to close it down and cease promotion immediately.”

Minto earlier responded to the New Zealand Jewish Council’s call for the hotline to be investigated by police by saying the council should also be telling Israeli soldiers “they’re not welcome here”.

The back-and-forth started after Minto last week posted a Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) leaflet, advertising a “Genocide Hotline” people could call if they came across IDF soldiers or Israeli reservists. Israeli soldiers are holidaying in New Zealand, the poster said.

Juliet Moses, of the New Zealand Jewish Council, says the hotline crosses a ine.

“We need your help to track them down so we can let them know they are not welcome here,” it also states.

Minto told Stuff Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa was “taking matters into our own hands” amid dissatisfaction with the New Zealand Government’s response. PSNA had previously called on the Government to suspend visas for Israeli soldiers.

But Jewish Council President Juliet Moses said she expected to see condemnation of the poster from “across the political spectrum”.

“We would like the police to look at whether it is a chargeable offence,” she added.

“More importantly is the broader issue of the position that the Jewish community is in and, as we’ve sort tried to point out, the escalating anti-Semitism of which this is obviously a very sort of conspicuous and disturbing example.”

However, Minto took exception to a Jewish Council press release, which said Minto and the PSNA had called to “hunt down” IDF soldiers and Israeli reservists.

“Hunt down is not a word we’ve used, we are intending to track down,” he said.

Minto posted an poster for a 'Genocide Hotline' to help 'track' IDF soldiers and Israeli reservists on holiday in New Zealand.

“The reason they are reacting is because this campaign has been effective.

“They should be there telling these Israeli soldiers as well they’re not welcome here.”

Minto, who has twice run to be Mayor of Christchurch, said PSNA had written to South Island backpackers’ accommodation to alert them to the campaign.

Asked what PSNA intended to do if it tracked down an individual, Minto said “we tell them they’re not welcome here”.

“Engaging in a conversation, explaining why civil society in New Zealand is appalled [about] the fact that they’re here,” he said.

But Moses told Stuff the poster went beyond dialogue and debate over matters in the Middle East.

“It’s incitement to violence, it’s vigilante justice,” she said.

While Minto had “freedom of speech”, Moses said the hotline “definitely crosses a line”.

“We really want this to be looked at, if anything, [as] a tipping point and the appropriate leaders and agencies to consider what needs to be done before this does get further out of hand,” she said.

Reacting to the hotline, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, via social media, said: “New Zealand should never accept this kind of extreme totalitarian behaviour in our country”.

“John Minto’s call to identify people from Israel holidaying in New Zealand via a ‘dob them in hotline’ is an outrageous show of fascism, racism, and encouragement of violence and vigilantism,” Peters wrote.

“New Zealand should never accept this kind of extreme totalitarian behaviour in our country.”

ACT MP Simon Court said Minto and his followers “would create a real-life version of the Hunger Games movies” in their “pursuit of Israeli tourists“.

“Military service is compulsory for Israeli citizens. This means any Israeli holidaying, visiting family, or doing business in New Zealand could be targeted by John Minto’s hateful campaign,” Court said.

“This is not normal political activism, it is intimidation targeted toward Jewish visitors. It mirrors the worst instincts of humanity and should be condemned by parties across Parliament.”