Aotearoa for Palestine Condemn's Winston Peters' UN Address w/ Heba Mortaja from Aotearoa for Palestine: 1 October, 2025

While speaking at the Eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand would not be recognising a Palestinian state at this point in time.

Peters’ rationale was that Hamas’s leadership in Gaza would make recognising Palestine an unwise move for New Zealand to make at this point, additionally stating that it could trigger a reaction from Israel that would lead to more aggressive policies in both Gaza and the West Bank, subsequently threatening the two state solution.

Aotearoa for Palestine, the organisers behind the march for humanity, have condemned Winston Peters’ announcement, saying it was indicative of the government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza and that the upcoming march across the Auckland harbour bridge will be held in opposition to the announcement, as well as to call for sanctions on Israel.

Oto spoke with Heba Mortaja from Aotearoa for Palestine to discuss Winston Peters' UN Address and his refusal to recognise Palestinian statehood.