Will Alexander is trying to enlist support from Christchurch City Council. Photo: Supplied / Will Alexander
A hunger strike protester calling for an end to Israel's war in Gaza has asked the Christchurch City Council to pass a motion supporting increased aid to the UN Palestinian refugee agency.
Will Alexander, who played Doctor Marc Peders in Shortland Street, made the plea at a public forum during the council's meeting on Wednesday.
Alexander has just ended a 19-day hunger strike protesting about the war.
He called on the council to also write to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters to increase funding to UNRWA and to approve humanitarian visas for Gazans.
"When central government won't act we expect our leaders to step up and put the pressure on our government to speak out on our behalf," Alexander told the council.
"We'd like you to tell them, the people of Christchurch want you to act now, we want you to fund UNWRA and we want you to investigate Rakon."
New Zealand had suspended aid to UNRWA because of allegations against 12 of its employees - these allegations had been proven to be "baseless", he told Checkpoint last month.
A UN report to this effect had so far not made the government change its decision, he said.
Alexander also told Checkpoint he would not start eating again until the government stopped participating in the bombing in Yemen and withdrew New Zealand troops from the Red Sea.
He had also tried to enlist the support of MPs early on in the hunger strike with some expressing concern for him.