Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board was asked to fly the Palestinian flag during the public forum of a meeting on Monday night.

Free Palestine supporter Van Mei said they had “Palestinian whānau” living in exile from their country in New Zealand.

Mx Mei expressed their hurt at the “inactions and complicity of people”, including the New Zealand Government, on the Israel-Hamas War.

“I know it seems really far away but it sits deep within my body and my bones. For us, Palestine is not a distant shore. It is something that lives within our hearts,” they said.

Mx Mei also took part in a rally at the Whakatāne office of East Coast MP Dana Fitzpatrick on February 13.

“The protest wasn’t organised by me or my friends but was a snap rally organised by a person in solidarity that we all helped bring noise to. There was an endless stream of beeps and honks in solidarity.

“For me, it’s a really important part of being tangata Te Tiriti . For me, honoring te Tiriti is naming and resisting all forms of colonisation.”

Mx Mei suggested some actions of solidarity to the board, including flying the Palestinian flag outside the council offices.

Free Palestine supporter Van Mei spoke at a Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board meeting on Monday. Supplied.

Mx Mei also asked for the board to join the likes of Waiheke and Māngare-Ōtāhuhu local boards in making a public statement calling for a ceasefire or boycotting companies that were “exploiting our Palestinian whānau”.

Board chairwoman Carolyn Hamill said she appreciated Mx Mei raising the issue but that political discussions around the conflict were “not part of the community board’s kaupapa”.

“We are politically neutral, so we have limited capacity to act in support but we are happy for you to exercise your democratic right to speak.”

A spokesperson for Whakatāne District Council said the council would not be taking a position on the conflict.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.