The New Zealand government has scaled new heights of hypocrisy in condemning today’s Iranian attack on Israel but refusing to condemn Israel’s blatant incitement to a wider Middle East war with its missile attack on the Iranian Consulate in Syria two week which killed several Iranian leaders.

Israel’s attack on Iran produced not a whimper from the Prime Minister or Minister of Foreign Affairs but both have lined up to condemn Iran’s response.

It is apartheid Israel which wants a wider regional conflict; it is apartheid Israel which launched a deadly provocative attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus; it is apartheid Israel which is stoking the fire for a regional war. It is apartheid Israel New Zealand should be condemning rather than Iran.

Hypocrisy has been the hallmark of the new government’s approach to the Middle East – refusing to condemn anything Israel has done and pretending the fault lies elsewhere.

Meanwhile Israel is continuing, in full view of humanity, to use starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians in Gaza. And only humbug platitudes appealing for more aid to Palestinians.

Our government has joined us to the side of racism and genocide.