In a statement today, Bill English said, “…the position of the New Zealand Government should have been well understood ... we have got a realistic understanding of the pressures in the Middle East. That's why in our time on the Security Council we wanted to see some advancement on the Middle East peace process. And the resolution in that sense is pretty balanced. New Zealand has been a long time friend of Israel; we have a range of connections, trade, increasingly technology and innovation. And it would be a shame if us expressing a view that might not line up exactly with the Israeli Government was seen as somehow being unfriendly or changing that relationship.” So there you have it: Bill English was not only aware, but supported Resolution 2334. That’s not how friends treat friends. No matter how much ‘spin’ the NZ government puts on this, they know they took a calculated risk that may cost us far more than we could have imagined. Here’s brief glimpse of what has and could eventuate... (1) Our government has severely damaged whatever friendship the NZ govt. had with Israel; ambassador Itzhak Gerberg has been recalled, and New Zealand’s ambassador is prevented from entering Israel. (2) They have potentially jeopardised a significant bilateral innovation agreement, promoted by the largest delegation of NZ business leaders ever to visit Israel just a few months ago. (3) They have potentially jeopardised favourable relations with the incoming Trump administration – loyal and unfaltering supporters of Israel. (4) The US House of Representatives just shamed McCully, Obama and Kerry by trashing 2334, voting overwhelmingly – both Republicans and Democrats - to condemn the resolution. (5) Our NZ government has condemned the only democracy in the Middle East. (6) They have aligned New Zealand with a regime, which at this very moment is holding a rally to celebrate a terrorist attack in Jerusalem, which killed 4 young Israelis - the same regime that is behind over 300 attacks in the last 16 months, in which 42 people were killed and 619 others were wounded. Contrary to Mr English’s assertion that NZ has a “realistic understanding of the pressures in the Middle East,” the incoming US administration, Australia, and thousands of New Zealanders would beg to differ. “We wanted to see some advancement on the Middle East peace process. And the resolution in that sense is pretty balanced,” said English. The US House of Representatives disagrees. They rightly judged that Resolution 2334 “effectively lends legitimacy to efforts by the Palestinian Authority to impose its own solution through international organisations and through unjustified boycotts or divestment campaigns against Israel.” They acknowledged, “UNSCR 2334 did not directly call upon Palestinian leadership to fulfil their obligations toward negotiations.” They correctly pointed out what this resolution conveniently failed to mention: “that part of the eventual Palestinian state is currently controlled by Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation.” McCully and English will do their upmost to deflect criticism and understate public indignation, but on the international stage the damage has been done. It is everyday NZers who must now hold our public servants to account, and help rebuild our relationship Israel.