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.
However, with more than 40% of the New Zealand public expressing support for Palestinian recognition and for stronger action to be taken against Israel for their actions in Gaza, which the The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has officially referred to as a genocide, this decision by Peters’ has been the subject of widespread controversy amongst activists, experts and a large portion of the general public.
Additionally, despite claiming to take a more balanced and calculated approach to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Winston Peters’ decision at the UN General Assembly has placed New Zealand within a small handful of western nations who have refused to recognise Palestine, with the United Kingdom, France, Canada and our close Ally Australia all announcing their recognition of Palestine shortly before.
For our weekly catchup with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ decision not to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly.
They also spoke about the government’s decision last week to resume oil and gas exploration across Aotearoa.
Rosetta and Milly have a kōrero with Cory Champion, of Clear Path Ensemble - who are playing The Others Way Festival this year on November 29! Check out the latest lineup announcement and get tickets here. Whakarongo mai nei!
For our monthly catch up with The Green Party, Rosetta and Milly have a kōrero with Steve Abel about the recent resignations of Benjamin Doyle and Green Party Chief of Staff, the government reopening applications for offshore gas and oil exploration, and the nitrate emergency declared in the Canterbury region. Whakarongo mai nei!
Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu was greeted by United States President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss many things, including ending the war in Gaza. After a lengthy talk, the leaders announced to the press the conditions they had come up with to offer to Hamas, despite no Palestinian or Hamas officials being present.
The proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire, a swap of hostages held by Hamas and prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory and demands that Hamas immediately disarms and renounces any governance in the strip. The US President’s plan would also establish a temporary governing board that would be headed by Trump himself and would include former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Trump then announced Hamas had three or four days to respond to the deal, and Netenyahu promised that if Hamas were to reject the deal, he would “finish the job” in Gaza.
To talk about the peace proposal led by Donald Trump and if it brings the war in Gaza any closer to ending, Producer Max spoke to co-chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa John Minto and retired professor in international relations Stephen Hoadley.
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