This afternoon we received this outrageous letter from the NZ Psychological Society.

Here is our response sent this afternoon.

To the Executive of the New Zealand Psychological Society

One of your members has sent us your open letter to the international community of Psychological Societies regarding Gaza.

We applaud your efforts to protect the civilians of Gaza from harm.

On the other hand, we deplore the absence in your letter of any condemnation of the atrocities carried out on October 7.

The absence of such condemnation leaves you wide open to the accusation that you find rape, summary executions of whole families in their homes, the beheading of babies, immolation of captives, gouging out of eyes, executing people at bus stops, and sitting in their cars, the abduction of civilians, children, babies, and the elderly, justifiable.

These are crimes against Israel, they are crimes against all Jews, and they are crimes against all humanity.  They are therefore crimes against us, New Zealanders. This is evil.

The people of Gaza elected Hamas as their government.

With such power, Hamas has great responsibility.

On October 7, Hamas committed a series of atrocities on such scale that no right-thinking nation could ignore.

In so doing, Hamas has taken their people into war.

No government who carries out such an act of war can expect that there will not be any consequences for its citizens.

But Hamas’ ideology values martyrdom more than the lives of their people.

And therefore they have no regret in using their people as human shields.

Consequently they fight their war from residential apartment buildings, schools, hospitals and even designated safe zones.

This war is not a war of vengeance, it is not a war of evening up the score, it is not just about defending Israel, it is about making Israel’s people safe.

October 7, has shown the world that Hamas is prepared to throw aside its humanity in the furtherance of its cause. Their evil is revealed.

Any idea of coexistence, of living with Jews in peace and harmony, is far from Hamas’ mind.

History shows that unless evil is confronted then many more will die.

Although we sympathise with your goal of trying to protect the non-combatants in Gaza, we are deeply disappointed that your letter leaves you wide open to the accusation that you condone the October 7 atrocities as justifiable actions to further a political cause.

In doing so, you contribute rather than mitigate a tragedy.

There is also a war for the world’s heart and mind.  For our hearts and minds.

Do not be taken in by the emotional messages currently before the media.

The number of casualties that was supposed to have died outside a hospital began with 500 and since then the number has steadily dropped.

There is much value in independent investigations after the conflict is over. 

From past conflicts, Western news agencies have attested to Hamas’ misinformation campaigns.

You and your members are scientists, and if you as a society feel strongly enough to weigh into this conflict, then we urge you to examine this conflict and its history and the respective claims of both sides with the same forensic care you take in your professional life.

If you do, you may find that talk of apartheid practices, invasions, indigenous peoples, and colonization is not as simple as some would have you think.

We urge you to re-write your letter with these thoughts in mind.

Regards, etc.