New Zealand announced in New York on Friday that its government will not recognize the State of Palestine at this time while emphasizing its support to a two-state solution, according to Reuters.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that his country cannot take this step because there are several questions about the future of the Palestinian State that have to be answered.
“With a war raging, Hamas remaining the de facto government of Gaza, and no clarity on next steps, too many questions remain about the future state of Palestine for it to be prudent for New Zealand to announce recognition at this time,” Peters said in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
Peters also noted that the focus on recognizing Palestine as a state may undermine the efforts aiming at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza “by pushing Israel and Hamas into even more intransigent positions.”
New Zealand’s stance is different from that of its traditional allies—Australia, Canada, and Britain—who officially recognized a Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, New Zealand government said that it hoped to recognize a Palestinian state at a time when conditions on the ground provide stronger prospects for peace and meaningful negotiations.
Labour Party’s Opposition
However, New Zealand’s opposition Labour Party condemned the move, claiming that it placed the country on the wrong side of history.
In August, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “lost the plot,” according to Reuters.
He said Netanyahu had gone way too far and the lack of humanitarian assistance, the forceful displacement of people as well as the annexation of Gaza were utterly appalling.
“I think he has lost the plot,” “What we are seeing overnight, the attack on Gaza City, is utterly, utterly unacceptable,” Luxon added.
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