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.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 15th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
New Zealand declared a state of emergency in Otorohanga on Saturday (14 February) after torrential rain caused severe flooding, power outages and evacuations.
Several people, including children, were reported missing in New Zealand's north island on Thursday after a landslide struck a coastal campsite amid heavy rain that caused evacuations of people to safety, road closures and widespread power outages.
The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and U.S. media said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was talking to the right people in Iran to make a deal on Tuesday (24 March), as Pakistan's Prime Minister offered to host peace talks between the two countries to bring about an end to the conflict.
Trump says U.S. found “major points of agreement” with Iran and has paused strikes on Iranian power plants, but Tehran denies any direct talks or negotiations, contradicting U.S. claims - latest on Middle East conflict.
Violent clashes broke out between police and opposition protesters in Tirana on Sunday (22 March) as demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
Afghan authorities say Pakistani jets entered northern Afghanistan, while Pakistan insists its actions target terrorism, highlighting continued strain after a temporary Eid ceasefire ended.
Voting has ended in Denmark’s parliamentary election, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen seeking a third term after a campaign shaped by tensions with the U.S. over Greenland and mounting domestic concerns.
Eurozone private sector growth almost stalled this month, a key survey showed on Tuesday, adding to evidence that the bloc is already feeling economic fallout from the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran, with inflation rising and growth slowing.
China is raising domestic petrol and diesel prices under temporary measures to manage a sharp surge in global oil costs, aiming to support fuel suppliers while maintaining market stability during a period of heightened volatility.
Russia launched drones and missiles overnight on Tuesday at Ukraine, killing at least three people, damaging houses and triggering fires, Ukrainian officials said.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday (23 March) that Britain must plan for the possibility that the Iran war could continue for some time, and added that he had no "meaningful concerns" about energy supply.
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