Apparently there is negligible trade between NZ & Israel and neither country even has an embassy in the other's. Helen really hasn't got much to lose by playing this tough.
One has to wonder if this would have played out the same way if the country involved was much more significant to NZ.
New Zealand cannot be trusted in the War on Terror just like they could not be trusted in the Cold War after a certain time. The sheep overbreed when they have no natural enemies. They will find their wolves.