New Zealand MP booted from parliament amid debate on Palestinian state
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New Zealand MP Chloe Swarbrick was removed from parliament after refusing to apologize for remarks during a debate on recognizing Palestine.
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New Zealand's Parliament is pictured at dawn ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Wellington on July 27, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)
New Zealand MP removed from parliament amid heated debate on recognition of Palestine
Government delays decision on Palestinian statehood until September as opposition pushes for action.
A heated parliamentary debate on the recognition of Palestine saw Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick ordered to leave New Zealand’s parliament on Tuesday after refusing to withdraw remarks critical of government MPs.
The urgent debate followed the centre-right government’s announcement on Monday that it was still weighing its position on whether to recognise a Palestinian state. The move came as Australia joined Canada, the UK, and France in confirming they would grant recognition at a UN conference in September.
During the session, Swarbrick called New Zealand a "laggard" and an "outlier" for not making an earlier commitment, calling the delay “appalling.” She urged government members to back a bill to sanction “Israel” for its war crimes, legislation her party proposed in March and supported by all opposition parties.
"If we find six of 68 Government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history," Swarbrick told the chamber.
Speaker Gerry Brownlee deemed the comment "completely unacceptable" and demanded she withdraw it and apologise. When she refused, he ordered her removal from parliament. Brownlee later said she could return on Wednesday but would be removed again if she did not apologise.
Government to decide on Palestinian statehood in September
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the government would take the next month to gather information and consult international partners before making a final decision. “We’ll be weighing this decision carefully rather than rushing to judgment,” Peters told parliament.
The decision is expected in September, aligning with the timeline of several Western allies recognising Palestinian statehood. Alongside the Green Party, Labour and Te Pati Maori support recognising Palestine without delay.
Labour MP Peeni Henare criticised the government’s position, saying New Zealand was being “left behind” and stressing the country’s history of standing firm on principles and values.
On a related note, the foreign ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom announced on August 9 their rejection of "Israel's" decision to launch an additional large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip, affirming their unity in their commitment to implementing a two-state solution through negotiations.
In a joint statement, the ministers called on "Israel" to find urgent solutions to amend its recently implemented registration system for international humanitarian organizations.
