New Zealand is among a dwindling group of nations that have not yet taken steps to formally recognise a Palestinian state, RNZ reported today.
That means we are among a dwindling number of nations to avoid the prospect of American reprisals.
Politico reports that some Republicans are pushing for President Donald Trump to flex his muscle against a growing number of U.S. allies for recognizing Palestinian statehood.
As an increasing number of countries are risking U.S. retaliation by recognizing Palestinian statehood, the question becomes whether President Donald Trump will turn the screws on allies for doing so.
The New Zealand Government has yet to play its hand on the issue.
Has our government – palpably preferring pragmatism to a principled approach – actually reached a decision? Or has it been prevaricating, waiting to see how the political winds are blowing in New York and get a feel for Trump’s reaction?
RNZ noted:
Peters will outline Cabinet’s final decision in his general debate speech on Saturday morning (NZ time), after taking further soundings on the ground this week.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told First Up New Zealand’s “sober and sensible approach” would give its decision more significance.
“When the New Zealand government does announce its position I think it will carry additional weight because it clearly has been done in a careful and deliberative way.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister is in New York all week, attending a series of bilateral meetings with other countries in the run up to his speech to the assembly on Saturday.
And then – fingers crossed – our Government’s position on the vexed question of whether a Palestinian state should be recognised at last will be revealed.
Never mind the even more vexed questions of how it should be governed and whether it would recognise Israel’s right to exist.
One consideration is bound to be the American response.
Polito reports that
At least some in the GOP are pushing for action. More than two dozen Republican lawmakers signed a letter to the leaders of France, the U.K., Canada and Australia opposing their effort and brandishing a potential threat:
“Proceeding with recognition will put your country at odds with long-standing U.S. policy and interests and may invite punitive measures in response,” wrote the lawmakers…
Other GOP lawmakers who weren’t on the letter had similar harsh words for the statehood push. House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast called it “empty virtue signaling” that rewards Hamas while Lindsey Graham said it “is truly rewarding the largest slaughter of Jews since WWII.”
Some U.S. diplomats have pitched in with similar criticisms.
And yet for all the bluster, it seems the Trump administration plans to let the statehood push play out in New York with limited intervention.
The State Department told your anchor, “Our focus remains on serious diplomacy, not performative gestures.” Trump has scheduled a meeting with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other Arab and Muslim leaders for Tuesday.
It’s a surprisingly restrained response for this administration. Trump has not said anything about it in recent days on his platform Truth Social; Vice President JD Vance has focused his attention lately on the slain Charlie Kirk.
Politico asked the signatories of the Republican letter what sort of punitive measures they meant. None gave details.
An official mused that the White House could turn to tariffs, sanctions and foreign military aid as part of its policy response to allies if talks failed — though she added that the “administration appears to be leaning into diplomacy right now.”
So far, the only punitive measure the U.S. has imposed as a result of the statehood push has been on the Palestinian Authority, whose president, Mahmoud Abbas, , , is attending the General Assembly via video this week after the State Department denied him a visa.
If steering well clear of Trump’s vindictiveness and caprice is an important consideration for the Luxon coalition, spare a thought for the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ challenge. Getting an accurate reading of the state of the US President’s liver will be hard yacker.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
As an increasing number of countries are risking U.S. retaliation by recognizing Palestinian statehood, the question becomes whether President Donald Trump will turn the screws on allies for doing so.
The New Zealand Government has yet to play its hand on the issue.
Has our government – palpably preferring pragmatism to a principled approach – actually reached a decision? Or has it been prevaricating, waiting to see how the political winds are blowing in New York and get a feel for Trump’s reaction?
RNZ noted:
Peters will outline Cabinet’s final decision in his general debate speech on Saturday morning (NZ time), after taking further soundings on the ground this week.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told First Up New Zealand’s “sober and sensible approach” would give its decision more significance.
“When the New Zealand government does announce its position I think it will carry additional weight because it clearly has been done in a careful and deliberative way.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister is in New York all week, attending a series of bilateral meetings with other countries in the run up to his speech to the assembly on Saturday.
And then – fingers crossed – our Government’s position on the vexed question of whether a Palestinian state should be recognised at last will be revealed.
Never mind the even more vexed questions of how it should be governed and whether it would recognise Israel’s right to exist.
One consideration is bound to be the American response.
Polito reports that
At least some in the GOP are pushing for action. More than two dozen Republican lawmakers signed a letter to the leaders of France, the U.K., Canada and Australia opposing their effort and brandishing a potential threat:
“Proceeding with recognition will put your country at odds with long-standing U.S. policy and interests and may invite punitive measures in response,” wrote the lawmakers…
Other GOP lawmakers who weren’t on the letter had similar harsh words for the statehood push. House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast called it “empty virtue signaling” that rewards Hamas while Lindsey Graham said it “is truly rewarding the largest slaughter of Jews since WWII.”
Some U.S. diplomats have pitched in with similar criticisms.
And yet for all the bluster, it seems the Trump administration plans to let the statehood push play out in New York with limited intervention.
The State Department told your anchor, “Our focus remains on serious diplomacy, not performative gestures.” Trump has scheduled a meeting with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other Arab and Muslim leaders for Tuesday.
It’s a surprisingly restrained response for this administration. Trump has not said anything about it in recent days on his platform Truth Social; Vice President JD Vance has focused his attention lately on the slain Charlie Kirk.
Politico asked the signatories of the Republican letter what sort of punitive measures they meant. None gave details.
An official mused that the White House could turn to tariffs, sanctions and foreign military aid as part of its policy response to allies if talks failed — though she added that the “administration appears to be leaning into diplomacy right now.”
So far, the only punitive measure the U.S. has imposed as a result of the statehood push has been on the Palestinian Authority, whose president, Mahmoud Abbas, , , is attending the General Assembly via video this week after the State Department denied him a visa.
If steering well clear of Trump’s vindictiveness and caprice is an important consideration for the Luxon coalition, spare a thought for the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ challenge. Getting an accurate reading of the state of the US President’s liver will be hard yacker.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
6 comments:
Some 40 countries have yet to decide - including Finland and the Netherlands. They know a 2 state solution is impossible in practice and the Hamas long-term commitment to eventually eliminate Israel remains.
The fact that three-quarters of UNGA members have already recognised Palestine (including 5 of the 6 sitting members of the UNSC) suggests that this act of 'recognition' is a purely symbolic one that achieves all of nothing. So why bother at all?
My recall is that when the middle east lost a war to Israel in 1967, the victor took over the West Bank as a buffer zone. The state of Jordan owned that territory so how can the western world suggest it now be handed over to Palestinians (Hamas) without reference to Jordan.
Fingers crossed Winston will have the courage to distance NZ from those sycophantic, virtue-signalling ninnies, who have voted for a no-existent political entity. What a farce!
Hamas are terrorists and care little for the Gazans. Hamas are responsible for the starvation since they steal 80% of the food aid selling it to get money for their war effort against Israel . The best thing for the Gazans, themselves is for us not to acknowledge Palestine. The Gazans did vote in Hamas but look at the consequences of this.
As a Christian I recognize Israel as part of my Judeo - Christian heritage , which is also the foundations of western Civilization .
To give recognition to a group of barbaric people whose sole driver is to annihilate Israel is not acceptable. The actions of Israel are in contrast not genocidal but a determined effort to rid Gaza of Hamas who have unfortunately used the population as human shields by building and storing military gear under and in hospitals and other civilian facilities..
Also Hamas have spent years indoctrinating the Gazan population and particularly the children into jihad type action and hatred against Israel. Even other Arab and Muslim states don't want them .
If these Hamas- indoctrinated Gazan people were your close neighbours , what in hell would you do to defend yourself. ?
Unfortunately Palestinian radicals have blotted their copybook by abusing their previous hosts hospitality (Jordan Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait) by creating havoc and often war within these countries. No wonder they are not welcome anywhere as refugees!
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