New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has described his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu as having 'lost the plot', as the debate over recognising Palestinian statehood intensifies in Wellington. His remarks came after a Green Party MP was ejected from parliament during a heated debate on the issue.
Speaking to local media on Wednesday, Luxon said the situation in Gaza was 'utterly, utterly appalling' and that Netanyahu had 'gone way too far'. He criticised the overnight attack on Gaza City as 'utterly unacceptable', adding that the Israeli prime minister was 'not listening to the international community'.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick was ordered to leave parliament on Tuesday after telling government MPs they lacked a 'spine' and calling on them to support a bill sanctioning Israel for war crimes. Speaker Gerry Brownlee deemed the statement 'completely unacceptable' and ejected Swarbrick when she refused to apologise.
The debate was triggered by the centre-right government’s announcement that it is weighing up whether to recognise a Palestinian state, with a decision expected in September. New Zealand lags behind allies such as Australia, Canada, the UK and France, which have all announced moves to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Opposition parties, including Labour and Te Pati Māori, support recognition, criticising the government for being a 'laggard'. Labour’s Peeni Henare said New Zealand had a history of standing on principle but was now 'being left behind'.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters told parliament the government would gather information and consult partners before making a decision, insisting it would not rush to judgment. Netanyahu has condemned international moves towards recognition, calling them a 'canard' and claiming Israel applies force 'judiciously'.
