Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has defended his Government’s decision to not recognise a Palestinian state at this time after criticism from the Opposition.
Earlier today, Foreign Minister Winston Peters made the announcement New Zealand would not yet recognise a Palestinian state during a speech at the United Nations in New York.
He also announced a further $10m in aid to international humanitarian agencies to deliver emergency supplies to Gaza.
The move puts New Zealand at odds with several close allies, including Australia and the United Kingdom, which have recently shifted toward recognising Palestinian statehood.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to reporters in Auckland this afternoon, saying New Zealand was “neither pro-Palestine nor pro-Israel”. (Source: 1News)
Speaking to reporters in Auckland this afternoon, Luxon said: “This conflict will not end by NZ recognising a state of Palestine at this time”.
“It will only end through a ceasefire reached by negotiation, dialogue, diplomacy, and leadership. That remains our focus.”
Peters’ musical analogy as he announces Palestinian statehood stance – Watch on TVNZ+
Luxon reiterated that recognition of a Palestinian state was a matter of “when, not if,” but said the current conditions were not right.
“With a war raging, Hamas remaining the de facto government of Gaza, and with no clarity on next steps, now is not the time,” he said.
He said the decision was not an endorsement of Israel’s actions.
“We oppose any actions by Israel to undermine the two-state solution, and will continue to call on the Israeli government to comply with international law.
“We expect Israel to enable unfettered humanitarian aid into Gaza, and to end all illegal settlement activity and current military action.”
Luxon added New Zealand was “neither pro-Palestine nor pro-Israel” but “pro-peace”, and wanted to see both states exist in peace and security.
“We’re friends with both, and we are pro-peace, and true peace starts with a ceasefire, and that’s the only way to end all of this suffering.”
Earlier today, New Zealand parties across the spectrum reacted to the Government’s decision.
Seymour ‘proud’ of Govt decision
Deputy Prime Minister and ACT leader David Seymour told 1News it was a “proud day” for the country and lauded the coalition Government’s “moral clarity” on the issue.
“New Zealand’s been at its best when it has the courage to stand on principle with moral clarity away from the crowd, not when we’ve followed the crowd, and often a crowd that is engaged in political theatrics rather than clear, moral thinking about what the right outcome is and what the effects of our position might be.”
Asked about the Opposition’s assertion that the Government was showing “absolute cowardice”, Seymour said they could do with some moral clarity of their own.
“Frankly, it’s time to have some adults in the room and I’d actually be happier if our opposition joined us in that careful deliberative approach, rather than a theatrical approach.”
‘Total absence of leadership’ – Labour
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the Government had an opportunity to show leadership but chose instead to show a “total absence of leadership”.
“New Zealanders want to see us taking a principled stance on the absolute travesty, that’s unfolding in Palestine and our Government’s looking the other way.”
He told 1News the Government’s “internal machinations” had been more important to them than what he described as “doing the right thing internationally’.
“It’s time for Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters to reassert New Zealand’s principled independent foreign policy. Stop embarrassing the country, stop letting your own Government’s internal dysfunction damage New Zealand’s reputation internationally.”
Recognising Palestine did not mean recognising Hamas, Hipkins said.
“There’s still a lot of work to do to make sure that we get Palestine to a position where it can self-govern stably without the absolute tragedy that’s unfolding there at the moment.”
‘Morally repugnant’ – Greens
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson told 1News it was “absolute cowardice” that the Government had not chosen to recognise the state of Palestine at this time.
“A morally repugnant decision from Christopher Luxon where instead we are lining up with the Trump administration and forgetting our proud history of having an independent foreign policy.”
Davidson added: “We do not accept a world so inhumane as to be killing people, women, children, every single day, children, every single hour.”
“Tens of thousands of us marched in Auckland this month, calling on the Government to grow a spine, sanction Israel and recognise Palestinian statehood,” she said.
“Today Winston Peters stood before the UN General Assembly and offered a flourish of words to justify New Zealand doing nothing on this crisis.”
‘Colonial double standards’ – Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori has also condemned the Government’s decision on recognition of Palestinian statehood, describing it as “yet another exercise in colonial double standards”.
“It is unconscionable that Aotearoa New Zealand demands Palestinians prove their ‘governance’ and ‘democracy’ while remaining silent on Israel’s ongoing genocidal apartheid regime, breaches of international law, and the mass killing of civilians,” said co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi.
They added that Palestinians did not need lessons in democracy, but “solidarity, recognition, and justice”.
“True solidarity requires political courage to call Israel’s actions what they are: war crimes, apartheid, and attempted genocide.”
