New Zealand’s human rights chief Stephen Rainbow has apologized for “Islamophobic” remarks after he received strong criticism from Jewish and Muslim groups, according to reports Wednesday.
Rainbow said in a statement that New Zealand has no place for Islamophobia and that he personally apologized to the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ).
His comments indicating that Muslims are the greatest threat to the Jewish community on the island instead of the white supremacists drew criticism from the representative of Alternative Jewish Voices — Philippa Yasbek and Dayenu: Jews Against Occupation — two anti-Zionist Jewish organizations, along with FIANZ, according to New Zealand Radio.
Yasbek sent an email to Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and FIANZ after a Feb. 24 meeting with Rainbow, Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby and two Human Rights Commission staffers, during which Rainbow’s remarks were made.
Yasbek told Goldsmith that “Dr Rainbow asserted that the SIS (Security Intelligence Service) threat assessment shows that Muslims pose a greater threat to the Jewish community in New Zealand than white supremacists,” and “white supremacists make up the bulk of violent extremists in Aotearoa,” using the Mori world for New Zeland.
In a separate email to FIANZ, Yasbek cited Rainbow’s remarks and expressed anger, saying: “How does one complain about a racist Human Rights Commissioner?”
FIANZ expressed disappointment in a statement after Yasbek’s email, criticizing Rainbow for making “racist and Islamophobic statements in his official capacity as the head of the Human Rights Commission.”
“Dr. Stephen Rainbow has seriously devalued and denigrated the office … and this should be an alarming warning bell for human rights in this country,” it said.
Goldsmith, who, according to The Spinoff news outlet appointed Rainbow to the position despite an independent panel deeming him “not recommended” for the post, said the justice minister did not intend to ask Rainbow to resign.