Jewish conciliator replies to critics

Press, 27 December 1985, Page 10

Jewish conciliator replies to critics

PA Auckland ■. • Judaism and Zionism ; went hand in hand, the new Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Walter Hirsh, ' has said. “They are inseparable,” he said, replying to criticism from the Aucklandbased Palestine Human Rights Campaign. A spokeswoman for the campaign, Ms Kate Frey, said the group was concerned that the Race Relations Office under Mr Hirsh might be “unwilling to distinguish between anti-Zion-ism and anti-Semitism and that through the office an attempt may be made to silence critics of Israel’s racist policy.” Mr Hirsh said he believed in the right of the Jewish people to their homeland within secure borders.

“It is interesting to note that this is also the policy of the New Zealand Government,” he said. Mr Hirsh’s appointment was also criticised by an

Auckland- Maori Anglican .priest, theßev.EniPotakaDewes, 'who said it was ■ srhack ’jn the teeth’* for the Maori. ' Mr Potaka-Dewes said the appointee should have been a Maori, in recognition of the status Maori people had as tangata whenua of New Zealand. “This appointment ignores that concept entirely, and that angers me because Maori representation is what race relations is about here in New Zealand” he .said. Mr Hirsh said he was in i total accord with Mr Po-taka-Dewes in. recognising that the Maori wiere tangata whenua. In previous statements he had expressed his total commitment to the revival of things Maori, including the intensive revival of the language. The former Bishop of Aotearoa, Bishop , Manuhuia Bennett, of Te Puke, said the choice of Mr Hitsh was an excellent one.

“It is good to see race relations in New Zealand moving from becoming a purely Maori-pakeha thing,” he said. “Another section of society is . being involved and I believe each should take a turn to bear - some responsibility for good relations in this country.” Another Maori elder and chairman of the TaurangaMoana District Maori Council, Mr Bill Ohia, said the, appointment of a Jew’ .was “interesting.” .“It is likely to bring a fresh perspective to the post of Race Relations Conciliator in this country, someone who may be in a position to consider issues from a neutral point of view.” Reacting to criticism by the Palestine group, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, who made the appointment, said it was totally unjustified. Comments such as those made by the group wer a ’ reason why New Zealand;! -appointed race ■ relations

conciliators, Mr Palmer ' of a Jewish : pezson’ would attract that sort of -comment ... The Government had spent considerable time closely researching Mr Hirsh% background and had examined all the statements he had made in the “Jewish Chronicle” over the years. . - , “Mr Hirsh’s statements on Israel are ; moderate and reasonable-They I .amount to. the fact that. he."believes that Israel should continue to exist That is an unexceptional position and can hardly be attacked in the way that it has,” he said. It was the position the present Government and previous Governments had held. Mr Palmer said the criticism appeared to be anti-Jewish. The Race Relations Conciliator existed to avoid feelings of thht sort .■ arising.-between, people of ; different.. ethnic back:grounds -