New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
27 July 2022
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Mohammed Khan
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
[FYI request #19783 email]
OIA 28162
Tēnā koe Mohammed Khan
I refer to your email of 30 June 2022 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
According to your website, World Vision and its World Vision New Zealand affiliate are part of
your Negotiated Partnerships program, essentially pre-vetted for engaging in large aid
programmes, in recognition of their efficiency and trustworthiness.
Earlier this month, after kidnapping and torturing him for more than six years, an illegal secret
'court' in 'israel' convicted Gaza World Vision Director Mohammed El Halabi of 'terror' charges,
based on secret evidence invented by the zionists themselves. Investigations from World Vision
international and even the zionist-affiliated Australian government have found that these claims
were without any merit. All human investigations have found that El Halabi was not targeted for
any crimes, but because he worked for an organization founded on Christian principles, which
opposed the genocide of the Palestinian people, both anathema to the zionist regime.
Despite the close ties between MFAT and World Vision, MFAT has made no statements against
this persecution of an innocent man, intended by the zionists to prevent aid going to their Gaza
concentration camp, to assist the zionist genocide of the Palestinian people. Hostile foreign lobby
groups like the 'Israel Institute of NZ' are now using this fake conviction to attack World Vision and
support the genocide of the Palestinian people.
To aid in investigating how these foreign groups are using their fake trial to attack the Palestinian
people and compromise the supposed 'even-handed' policy of MFAT, I am requesting:
a) All documents held by MFAT since 2016 that mention Mohammed El Halabi.
b) All communications with hostile foreign groups like the 'Israel Institute of NZ' and 'Zionist
Federation of NZ' regarding 'World Vision' since 2016.
The information relevant to your request is attached.
We have withheld some information under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA to protect individuals’
privacy. We have identified no public interest in releasing the information that would override
the reasons for withholding it.
We also hold a document titled
Amnesty International Report 2017/18: The state of the World’s
Human Rights. This document is publicly available on the Amnesty International website so has
not been included in our response.
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
We have no record of any response being sent to the Permanent Observer Mission of the State
of Palestine to the United Nations in relation to either of the letters included in our response to
this OIA request.
Please note that we may publish this letter (with your personal details redacted) on the
Ministry’s website.
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade