Winston Peters Discusses Palestine State Recognition in Cabinet Meeting
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has indicated that New Zealand would decide whether to recognise Palestine as a state within the next month.
In a statement released on Monday afternoon, Peters acknowledged that he discussed the topic with the Cabinet that day and that the government will formally explore the move, with a decision expected in September.
He will attend the UN Leaders Meeting in late September at the General Assembly in New York, where he will discuss the government's approach to the UN.
While the declaration makes no changes to New Zealand's position on Gaza or Palestinian statehood, the deadline of next month signals that New Zealand may join other Western partners in pushing forward with recognition.
Shortly after the statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Australia would move forward with recognizing Palestinian statehood. This would take place at the UN General Assembly in September.
He stated that the decision was taken after discussions with a number of other world leaders, including New Zealand's Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, whom he met with over the weekend.
Albanese noted, however, that his government had made clear that Hamas could have no role in a future Palestinian state.
"Hamas is not just an enemy of Israelis, it's an enemy of the Palestinian people as well."
Albanese saw the Gaza conflict as a story of missed possibilities.
"The risk of trying is negligible when compared to the risk of passing up this opportunity. The toll of the status quo is increasing by the day, and it may be counted in innocent lives.
He complimented Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a "civil" and "long" conversation over the decision, stating that Netanyahu's views were virtually identical to those presented a year before.
Albanese stated that he wanted to see polls in Gaza as soon as feasible, adding that the Palestinian Authority had not had an election in quite some time.
It comes after several other Western countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, indicated their intention to acknowledge Palestinian statehood.
According to Peters' statement, the humanitarian disaster in Gaza is rightfully at the forefront of the world agenda, and New Zealand "has been giving this issue careful, methodical, and deliberate attention".
"New Zealand has long questioned whether the necessary conditions for a sustainable and legitimate Palestinian state exist in terms of security, politics, diplomacy, and economics. Fundamentally, we will need to determine whether sufficient progress is being achieved against these benchmarks to justify New Zealand acknowledging a Palestinian state at this time," he added.
"We will take note of the rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground, our close friends' disagreement on the topic of recognition, and several Arab states stating unequivocally that Hamas must disarm and play no role in future Palestinian governance.
"This is not a straightforward, clear-cut issue," Peters remarked. "There is a broad range of strongly held views within our government, Parliament, and indeed New Zealand society over the question of recognition of a Palestinian state."