New Zealand politician removed from Parliament after comments in Palestinian debate
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Ms Chloe Swarbrick, co-leader of the Green Party, said New Zealand was a “laggard” and an “outlier” during a heated debate over the government's response to Palestine.
PHOTO: CHLOE SWARBRICK/FACEBOOK
Follow topic:
WELLINGTON – New Zealand parliamentarian Chloe Swarbrick was ordered to leave Parliament on Aug 12 during a heated debate over the government’s response to Palestine.
An urgent debate was called after the centre-right government said on Aug 11 that it was weighing up its position on whether to recognise a Palestinian state
Close ally Australia on Aug 11 joined Canada, Britain and France in announcing that it would recognise a Palestinian state at a UN conference in September.
Ms Swarbrick, who is co-leader of the Green Party, said New Zealand was a “laggard” and an “outlier” and the lack of decision was appalling, before calling on some government members to support a Bill to “sanction Israel for its war crimes”.
The Bill was proposed by her party in March and is supported by all opposition parties.
Ms Swarbrick said: “If we find six of 68 government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history.”
Speaker Gerry Brownlee said that statement was “completely unacceptable” and she had to withdraw it and apologise.
When Ms Swarbrick refused, she was ordered to leave Parliament.
Mr Brownlee later clarified that Ms Swarbrick could return on Aug 13, but if she still refused to apologise, she would again be removed from Parliament.
New Zealand has said it will make a decision in September about whether it would recognise Palestine as a state.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters told Parliament that over the next month, the government would gather information and talk to partners, which would inform Cabinet’s decision.
“We’ll be weighing this decision carefully rather than rushing to judgment,” he said.
Along with the Green Party, opposition parties Labour and Te Pati Maori support recognition of a Palestinian state.
Labour parliamentarian Peeni Henare said New Zealand had a history of standing strong on its principles and values and in this case “was being left behind”. REUTERS
