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ODESC
Officials' Committee for Domestic
and External Security Coordination
lsrael/Hamas Conflict Watch Group #1 Minutes
19 October 2023 1400hrs
Cabinet Committee Room
Attendees
Agency
Attendee
g
9(2)( II
X )
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DPMC
Education
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GCSB
MBIE
MEC
AC
MFAT
MoD
MoH
MSD
NZDF
NZSIS (incl
CTAG)
Police
Public Service
Commission
Te Puni Kokiri
Te Whatu Ora
INFORMATION
Introduction
1. On 19 October 2023, the ODESC System convened the first Watch Group regarding the
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lsrael/Hamas conflict. The purpose of the Watch Group was to ensure consistent
understanding of risks; ensure domestic security arrangements were sufficient; clarify
roles and responsibilities for social cohesion activities; and ensure a holistic approach
was being taken for community support.
Situation, Intelligence, and Activity Updates
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2. Agencies confirmed that the terrorism threat level and the threat of violent protest in New
Zealand both remained assessed as low. Agencies noted that 6(a)
it seemed highly likely that a ground incursion into Gaza
would occur in the very short term. 9(2)(g)(i)
. s 6(a)
s 6(a)
3. Concerns were raised that an Israeli ground incursion into Gaza could also cause the
conflict to spread beyond Gaza and Israel.
4. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and New Zealand Defence Force
(NZDF) provided specific updates on their activities and current focuses.
5. MFAT
a. MFAT advised that they had stood up an Emergency Coordination Centre in
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response to the conflict.
b. MFAT’s initial focus was strategic communications and a consular response
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supporting New Zealanders to evacuate the area.
c. MFAT noted that the effects of the conflict on social cohesion in partner countries
could forecast the effects in New Zealand. They had tasked New Zealand
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diplomatic Posts in Europe and the Middle East region to talk to partner
governments about the effects on social cohesion in their countries, and what
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steps they were taking to mitigate these. MFAT advised they would share the
outcomes of the tasking with agencies.
d. MFAT emphasised the need for clear, simple, and consistent government
messaging.
6. NZDF
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a. NZDF noted that they currently had Liaison Officers based in 6(a)
.
b. NZDF’s focus was on working with MFAT to provide options to Government. The
options would be based on scenario work and forecasting, and could include
prepositioning assets and/or people.
c. NZDF was also supporting consular efforts, safety of consular staff, and NZDF
personnel deployed on the ground in the region, including at the United Nations
Truce Supervision Operation on the border between Lebanon and Israel.
d. 6(a), 6(b)(i)
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7. Relevant agencies were coordinating intelligence activity to develop the domestic threat
picture. This included threat discovery, identification of potential threat escalation, foreign
intelligence, and assurance relating to known persons of interest. Agencies were
confident the right channels had been established, and that communities were raising
threat information with agencies.
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8. Agencies also noted upcoming events of relevance to the overall security context. These
included:
• The Coronial Inquiry into the Christchurch masjidain attack, beginning the week
of 23 October.
• An inter-faith meeting being facilitated by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities
(MEC) was scheduled for 6-8 November.
• He Whenua Taurikura (Counter-Terrorism Hui) was scheduled for 5-6 December.
• Internationally, the Christchurch Call 2023 Leaders’ Summit was scheduled to be
held on 10 November in Paris.
9. Police advised that they had specific security operations in place for the Coronial Inquiry
and He Whenua Taurikura.
10. MEC advised that their efforts were focused on bringing New Zealanders together,
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through messaging and working with faith leaders. The scheduled inter-faith meeting
was still expected to go ahead. The Chair noted that the Human Rights Commission
(HRC) had also reached out to offer support. MEC would confirm that they were
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connected with the HRC.
11. MEC’s chief executive had asked for messaging for other public service chief executives
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to use in communications with their staff if needed, acknowledging that New Zealand has
affected kaimahi across the public service.
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12. MEC noted the importance of neutrality when working with affected communities.
Agencies noted that the term ‘neutral’ in and of itself has connotations in this conflict.
Key risks and implications
13. The Watch Group canvassed several risks and issues arising, and the mitigations
underway, particularly with regards to domestic safety and security.
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9(2)(g)(i)
14. 9(2)(g)(i)
. Police’s priority for
mitigation was reassurance and engagement. They also continue to support planned
protests, and emphasised the importance of timely and sensitive responses to reports of
hate-related activity. Agencies noted that assessments identified misinformation and
disinformation as a key driver of discontent and undermined social cohesion.
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15. The Ministry of Education (MoE) advised that they had been in contact with Jewish and
Muslim faith-based schools, some of whom had requested more safety and security
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support than others. They had also engaged with Palestinian communities and were
receiving reports of Palestinian children being harassed online and in person in schools.
MoE was undertaking discrete community engagement rather than direct messaging to
the sector, given the sensitivities. The Watch Group noted that international partner
advice was that universities were becoming a hub for protests and related activity as
well.
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16. Agencies discussed social cohesion more broadly and noted that community
engagement was occurring with a number of public service agencies, often with multiple
agencies at a time, but there had not been any cross-faith meetings yet; MEC’s inter-
faith meeting would potentially be the first since the onset of the conflict.
17. 9(2)(g)(i)
18. 6(a), 6(c)
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Communications and messaging
19. Agencies noted that due to the nature of the dynamics surrounding the conflict,
communications needed to be carefully crafted, down to individual word choices.
Individuals, communities, and international partners were all keeping a close eye on
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government communications regarding the conflict.
20. Following the Inter-Agency Working Group held on 11 October, DPMC Communications
had set up a communications coordination group with other agencies. The focus had
been on community messaging, which currently sat with MFAT. There was an additional
focus on staying connected to other agencies and supporting communities. DPMC
encouraged any agencies, who were not part of the group but wanted to be, to get in
touch with DPMC’s strategic communications team.
Next meeting
21. The Watch Group determined there was no need to meet again at this time, and agreed
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that the triggers agreed by the Inter-Agency Working Group held on 11 October
remained extant. Three new triggers were added, indicated below in
bold.
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Triggers for consideration of escalation relating to domestic security concerns:
s 6(a)
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s 6(a)
Triggers for consideration of escalation relating to the international/diplomatic response:
s 6(a)
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MINISTRY OF BUSINESS,
INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT
HTKINA WHAKATUTUKI
HON
Erica Stanford
MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION
MINISTRY OF BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYMENT OFFICIALS' MEETING
Wednesday 24 January 2024
9.00am - 9.30am
5.3 Executive Wing, Parliament Building
AGENDA
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Attendees:
Carolyn Tremain, Nie Blakeley, Alison McDonald, Jivan Grewal, Stephen Vaughan
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Person
Purpose
Oral/Paper
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Policy Update
Jivan Grewal
Discussion
Oral
{Out of scope)
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- Palestine
(Out of scope)
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MINISTRY OF BUSINESS,
-
\ t /,. INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT
HIKINA WHAKATUTUKI
HON Erica Stanford
MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION
MINISTRY OF BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYMENT OFFICIALS' MEETING
Monday 19 February 2024
1.30pm - 2.30pm
5.3 Executive Wing, Parliament Building
AGENDA
Attendees:
Carolyn Tremain, Nie Blakeley, Alison McDonald, Jivan Grewal, Stephen Vaughan, Libby
Gerard, Lee Gerrard, Fiona Whiteridge, Alejandra Mercado OFFICIAL
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Topic
Person
Purpose
Oral/Paper
{Outof scope}
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3.
Any other business
Hon Erica
Update
Oral
Stanford/Officials
- Gaza refugee process
�Out of scope)
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