Full text of Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
Mr President,
The situation in Gaza is an utter catastrophe.
New Zealand condemns Hamas for its heinous terrorist attacks on 7 October and since, including its barbaric violations of women and children. All of us here must demand that Hamas release all remaining hostages immediately.
At the same time, the facts on the ground in Gaza are absolutely clear. More than 32,000 people have been killed. Millions have been displaced. Warnings ring in our ears that famine in Gaza is imminent.
Indeed, Palestinian civilians continue to bear the brunt of Israel’s military actions, humanitarian and medical workers are being killed, and health facilities and vital infrastructure have been destroyed.
Gaza, which was already facing huge challenges before this conflict, is now a wasteland. Worse still, another generation of young Palestinians – already scarred by violence – is being further traumatised.
Since the start of the current crisis in Gaza, the veto has been used five times to prevent the Security Council from acting decisively. This has seen the Council fail in its responsibility to maintain international peace and security.
New Zealand is a long-standing opponent of the use of the veto. We have actively supported the Veto Initiative from its inception and remain a proud proponent of Resolution 76/262.
New Zealand welcomed Resolution 2728, which demanded an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire. We call on all parties to this conflict to comply with Resolution 2728 without delay.
We acknowledge Israel’s belated announcements that it will allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel must do everything in its power to enable safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access.
Israel cannot now be under any misconceptions as to its legal obligations. The provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice are clear and must be complied with fully and immediately.
New Zealand offers its full support for the mandate of Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. Last week we announced a financial contribution from New Zealand to support Kaag’s Mechanism to maximise aid flows into Gaza.
New Zealand looks forward to the outcome of the investigations into serious allegations that have been made against certain UNRWA staff because UN Agencies, including UNRWA, have a critical role to play in meeting the needs of Palestinians. Israeli constraints on UNRWA’s ability to operate in Gaza must be lifted.
New Zealand is gravely concerned by repeated indications from Israel that it may soon launch a military offensive into Rafah. Palestinian civilians must not be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.
The risks of the wider region being further drawn into this conflict also remain alarmingly high. We strongly urge regional actors, including Iran, to exercise maximum restraint.
Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security. There is overwhelming support in the international community – including from New Zealand – for a two-state solution. Achieving this will require serious negotiations by the parties and must involve a Palestinian state.
We do not accept that Israel can achieve peace and security while taking more and more territory intended for a future Palestinian state. This misguided notion must end. Building and expanding illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza imperil the two-state solution, which remains the only blueprint for peace that we have.
Thank you.
Yes please, tell us more about the two-state solution that has basically failed for 75 years, and how it’s going to work this time around…
But the NZ govt still sends NZ troops to back up the US in the Middle East who are supporting Israel and a govt that talks about being part of AUKUS…..who again have nations supporting Israel, even with arms…..The utter catastrophe is NZ’s two faced foreign policy.
Re. “Barbaric violations of women and children.” Why were men left off the list?
Good speech.
Has been voiced over and over again.
There will be no peace or Palestine, as long as these demons have the means (money from the j3wish deep state CB cabal) to wreak havoc onto the people of the land.
Things would be easier if Israhell would be no more and the word ‘diaspora’ would ascend to the original word and meaning for the REAL jewish people, and not be hijacked by Askenazi creatures.
AshkeNAZI and Khazarian Mafia creatures…!
I think Winston needs to concentrate on what harms the WHO will do to this country if our government doesn’t pull its head from its a***. Focus needs to be here instead of distracting everyone.
Yup. We’ll said. I also think there should be less focus on Israel bending the knee and more focus on Hamas, the duly elected govt of the Gazan populace to surrender the hostages, lay down their arms and surrender. There should be no return of Gazan prisoners either.
I have seen a few videos on YouTube where Mosab Hassan Yousef explains what Hamas actually is. He is the Son of a Hamas leader who left Hamas in 1997 because he was fed up with all the hatred. He helped Israel by working for the Shin Bet and now lives in the US. He became a Christian and is, I believe, number 1 on Hamas “hit list”. They probably want to kill him because (1) he helped Israel and, (2) because he is now an apostate.
He says that there are no Palestinian people, there are only tribes: The tribe of Hamas, the tribe of Islamic Jihad and so on. If they did not have Israel to focus their hatred upon then they would be killing each other. He also says (and I agree) that what Hamas did on 7 October 2023 was a crime against humanity and a genocide.
He has written a book called “Son of Hamas”.
In my estimation, Israel has no choice but to eliminate Hamas completely. If it does not do so, then all the Islamic hate groups in the Middle East would be emboldened and start taking more aggressive actions there, and also in countries not in the Middle East. In other words, Israel is the proverbial canary in the coal mine.
How’s the hummus in Tel Aviv Mark?
Both Hamas and Israel ,are terrorist states. Both need to be held accountable. They are both beyond disgust. Israel should be sanctioned and have a totally new government. Israel are out of control with the USA backing. When other countries assist in the atrocities they too need to be held accountable. USA policy is a farce they are almost the shame of the world, only Israel are more disgusting. Time for both to,be accountable.
Israel think this will play out to be the second coming. What f’’’’’ attitude