In a series of seemingly coordinated announcements on Sunday (September 20th), Britain, Canada, and Australia announced formal recognition of the state of Palestine, bringing the total number of UN members recognising Palestine’s statehood to over 140.
So why is New Zealand still not formally recognising the state of Palestine?
According to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, “it’s not a race,” he told RNZ yesterday. He told the broadcaster that New Zealand’s leaders had spoken to other global leaders about their decisions on Palestinian statehood.
“Well we think a two-state solution is the only way forward, we felt that since 1947, that’s why we keep saying it’s a question of when not if,” he said.
“But the major issue, lets be clear about it, is irrespective of state recognition, what’s going to change on the ground tomorrow and that is actually hamas releasing hostages, Israel allowing humanitarian aid, complying with the international law of protecting civilians and an immediate ceasefire. And extremist conversations on all sides of that is not helpful.”
Luxon also insisted that he wasn’t worried about the US government’s reaction if New Zealand was to recognise Palestine statehood. “We are making our own independent decision for us and the right decision for New Zealand,” he said.
New Zealand confirming its stance is surely a matter of when not if.
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Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is representing the country (despite most other countries sending their heads of state) at the UN General Assembly this week, with the conference on a two-state Israel-Palestine solution resuming in New York this morning. Peters will listen in on the conference for several hours this morning to learn what other countries have to say about the situation.
France followed Britain, Canada, and Australia in recognising the Palestinian state this week, with four other states expected to follow suit at the UN General Assembly.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, remains insistent that “there will be no Palestinian state.”
“I have a clear message to those leaders recognising a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre of October 7th: you are giving a massive prize to terror,” Netanyahu said in a statement over the weekend.
“The response to the latest attempt to force a terror state upon us in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States. Wait for it.”
New Zealand’s government delaying its decision contradicts the grassroots support for Palestine in the country, with thousands of Kiwis have attended pro-Palestine rallies in cities around Aotearoa weekend after weekend.
“[…] I have been at these rallies now, you know, every other weekend for the better part of two years, and I have seen regular New Zealanders from all walks of life coming together, unified on the basis of the things that we stand for,” Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick told Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
“And we need to remind ourselves that we should not define ourselves by what we’re in opposition to.
“So I think it’s a matter of regular people… turning up, finding their people and not allowing ourselves to be divided or distracted by political players who are just interested in short-term gains. If we hold steadfast to the things that we believe in, we can only move forward together.”
