Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has called all parties involved in the Gaza conflict to take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire.
The motion presented to parliament yesterday was the first official response since the attack by Hamas militants on October 7 which killed 1200 people, and the subsequent Israeli invasion of the enclave which has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians.
“The Government’s position is set out in the motion before the House today and it’s in accord with the Secretary General of the United Nation’s statement of 4 December, when he reiterated his call for a sustained humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional and immediate release of all remaining hostages,” Mr Peters said.
MPs voted to accept an amendment by Labour’s disarmament spokesperson Phil Twyford that the peace process must recognise Palestinian self-determination, and calling for the establishment of a free and independent Palestinian state.
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa chair John Minto described the motion as cowardly because it failed to condemn the slaughter of Palestinian civilians or Israel’s dehumanising, apartheid policies towards Palestinians.
He said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon comments before the motion was put, that none of us wants to see the atrocities that we’re observing on our TVs each and every night, better reflected the mood of the country than Mr Peter’s perfunctory offering to parliament.
