New Zealand parliamentarian and Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick was ordered to leave Parliament on Tuesday (12 August) after refusing to apologise for remarks made during a heated debate on the government’s position regarding the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The centre-right government announced that it was still considering whether to recognize a Palestinian state.
This is a move which several key allies, including Australia, Canada, the UK, and France, have announced recently and said they would make their support official at the United Nations conference in September.
Swarbrick called New Zealand a “laggard” and an “outlier” in the international community by sharply criticizing the government’s delay. She urged members of the ruling coalition to support the Green Party bill introduced in March. That would impose sanctions on Israel for alleged war crimes — legislation backed by all opposition parties.
“If we find six of 68 Government Members of Parliament (MPs) with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history," Swarbrick told the House of Representatives.
Spokesperson of the House Gerry Brownlee considered the comment “completely unacceptable”. He demanded that Swarbrick withdraw it and apologise. When she refused, she was ordered to leave parliament.
Brownlee later affirmed that Swarbrick could return on 13 August but warned that if she still refused to apologise she would be again removed from parliament.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters restated that the government would make its decision on Palestinian recognition in September.
He added later that officials would “gather information and consult with international partners” before presenting recommendations to the Cabinet.
“We’ll be weighing this decision carefully rather than rushing to judgment,” Peters told Parliament.
Three out of six parliamentary parties of 54th Parliament, The Green Party, Labour, and Te Pāti Māori, all support immediate recognition of Palestine.
Member of the Labour Party Peeni Henare criticised the government’s indecision, saying New Zealand “was being left behind” and should stand by its values.
The debate comes in the middle of growing international drive for Palestinian statehood, with diplomatic developments expected to intensify in the lead-up to next month’s United Nations conference.
The Netherlands will return a 3,500-year-old stone head sculpture to Egypt, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof told President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Su...
Pakistan expects to bring its first Chinese-designed Hangor-class submarine into active service next year, a move seen as deepening its defence partne...
U.S. President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s "days are numbered," accusing his government of hostile acts against the Unit...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a series of high-level meetings in Baghdad on Sunday as part of his official visit to Iraq, focusing on bila...
A fire and explosion at a convenience store in the northwestern Mexican city of Hermosillo killed at least 23 people, including several children, and ...
New Zealand announced on Thursday that it would broaden sanctions against Russia’s oil sector and its so-called shadow fleet, during a meeting with the foreign ministers of the five Nordic countries in Stockholm.
More than 100,000 New Zealand teachers, nurses, doctors, firefighters and support staff went on strike Thursday, demanding higher pay and better funding for public services, a clear sign of dissatisfaction with centre-right government.
New Zealand's annual inflation accelerated in the third quarter, reaching 3.0%, which aligns with analysts' expectations and is at the upper end of the central bank's target range, according to official data released on Monday.
New Zealand is reimposing sanctions on Iran due to concerns about Iran's non-compliance with its nuclear obligations, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement on Friday.
Ukraine’s top military commander has confirmed that troops are facing “difficult conditions” defending the strategic eastern town of Pokrovsk against a multi-thousand Russian force.
Residents of Hoi An, Vietnam’s UNESCO-listed ancient town, began cleaning up on Saturday as floodwaters receded following days of torrential rain that brought deadly flooding and widespread destruction to the central region.
Russia has launched its new nuclear-powered submarine, the Khabarovsk, at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, the Defence Ministry said Saturday.
Armenia will offer Azerbaijani as an optional subject for 10-12th grade students in three schools from the 2025/2026 academic year as part of a state programme to develop foreign and regional languages.
Egypt has inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Great Pyramid of Giza, unveiling the world’s largest archaeological museum and a modern cultural landmark celebrating over 7,000 years of history.
The Netherlands will return a 3,500-year-old stone head sculpture to Egypt, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof told President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday during his visit to Cairo.
Pakistan expects to bring its first Chinese-designed Hangor-class submarine into active service next year, a move seen as deepening its defence partnership with Beijing and strengthening its posture in the North Arabian Sea.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s "days are numbered," accusing his government of hostile acts against the United States.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a series of high-level meetings in Baghdad on Sunday as part of his official visit to Iraq, focusing on bilateral cooperation and regional stability.
A fire and explosion at a convenience store in the northwestern Mexican city of Hermosillo killed at least 23 people, including several children, and injured 12 others, local officials said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment