Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Monday that New Zealand is weighing the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s cabinet would make a formal decision in September and present the government’s approach at the U.N. Leaders’ Week, he said.
Several countries, including Australia, Britain and Canada, have announced in recent weeks that they will recognise a Palestinian state at September’s U.N. General Assembly.
Independent Policy Stance
Peters said that while some of New Zealand’s close partners had opted to recognise a Palestinian state, New Zealand had an independent foreign policy.
“We intend to weigh up the issue carefully and then act according to New Zealand’s principles, values and national interest,” Peters said in a statement.
The government needed to weigh up whether sufficient progress was being made towards the Palestinian territories becoming a viable and legitimate state for New Zealand to grant recognition.
“New Zealand has been clear for some time that our recognition of a Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if,” Peters added.
Australia To Recognise Soon
Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of neighbouring Australia, announced on Monday that Canberra will recognise a Palestinian state at next month’s UN General Assembly, joining France, Britain, and Canada in increasing pressure on Israel.
“Australia will recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, to contribute to international momentum towards a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages,” Albanese said in a statement.
Albanese told reporters in Canberra that recognition would be predicated on commitments Australia received from the Palestinian Authority, including that Islamist militant group Hamas would have no involvement in any future state.
‘Two-State Solution’
“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza,” Albanese said at a press conference.
Albanese said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and told him a political solution was needed and not a military one.
Australia last week criticised Israel’s plan to take military control of Gaza, and Albanese said the decision to recognise a Palestinian state was “further compelled” by Netanyahu’s disregard of the international community’s calls and failure to comply with legal and ethical obligations in Gaza.
(With inputs from Reuters)
