The Government will formally weigh up New Zealand’s position on the recognition of Palestine over the next month, says Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.
But he’s acknowledged it is “not a straightforward, clear-cut issue” and there are a “range of strongly held views within our Government, Parliament and indeed New Zealand society over the question of recognition of a Palestinian state”.
Peters on Monday took an oral item to Cabinet about the recognition of the state of Palestine ahead of a formal consideration in September.
“Some of New Zealand’s close partners have opted to recognise a Palestinian state, and some have not,” Peters said.
“Ultimately, New Zealand has an independent foreign policy, and on this issue, we intend to weigh up the issue carefully and then act according to New Zealand’s principles, values and national interest.
“New Zealand has been clear for some time that our recognition of a Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if.”
His comments come after the Herald asked Peters on Monday afternoon if Cabinet had considered recognition.
He replied: “You’re gonna have to ask the Prime Minister.”
When asked if the Prime Minister would make an announcement at 4pm, he said: “You’re gonna have to ask the Prime Minister... one more time, can you wait and ask the Prime Minister. He’s got a post-Cabinet conference.”
In his later statement, Peters said it was not a straightforward or clear-cut issue.
“New Zealand has long asked whether the pre-requisites for a viable and legitimate Palestinian state – in security, political, diplomatic and economic terms – exist.
“Fundamentally, we will need to weigh up whether sufficient progress is being made against these benchmarks in order to warrant New Zealand recognising a Palestinian state at this juncture.
“New Zealand has been giving this issue careful, methodical and deliberate attention. We will be taking heed of the facts on the ground deteriorating rapidly, our close partners being divided on the issue of recognition, and a range of Arab states making clear Hamas must disarm and must have no future role in Palestinian governance.
“Cabinet will take a formal decision in September over whether New Zealand should recognise a state of Palestine at this juncture – and if so, when and how."
He said there was 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”.
“It is only right that this complicated issue be approached calmly, cautiously and judiciously. Over the next month, we look forward to canvassing this broad range of views before taking a proposal to Cabinet.”
Peters will travel to New York in late September for the United Nations Leaders’ Week, where he will present the Government’s approach to this issue.
The announcement comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his country will recognise the Palestinian state at next month’s UN General Assembly.
The crisis in Gaza was among topics discussed by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Albanese during their annual meeting in Queenstown over the weekend.
Both Prime Ministers have said it is a matter of “when, not if”, but stressed the countries will make their own sovereign decisions.
“I think overwhelmingly Australians want to see two things,” Albanese said.
“One is they want to see a ceasefire. They want to see the killings stop. They want to see hostages released. They want to see peace in the region. The second thing they want is they don’t want conflict brought to Australia either.”
Luxon said New Zealand wanted to see hostages released, unfettered humanitarian aid going into Gaza and a ceasefire.
“Military action that we’ve seen is not the way to solve this problem. It requires diplomacy. It requires dialogue. I think all New Zealanders, all Australians, will be horrified by what they see on the news.”
A statement issued by several countries’ foreign ministers over the weekend, including New Zealand’s Peters, rejected Israel’s decision to launch a fresh military operation in Gaza.
“It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians. The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.”
It said the countries were “united in our commitment to the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee that both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security, and dignity”.
“A political resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution requires the total demilitarisation of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.”
In Parliament last month, Peters was asked about New Zealand’s stance on recognising Palestine.
“We steadfastly support the establishment of a Palestinian State and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. We have done so for decades,” he said.
Asked by Act’s Simon Court whether recognising Palestine before Hamas was to return hostages constituted a reward for terrorism, Peters said: “That’s most likely how it’ll be interpreted.”
He said Hamas needed to “give back the hostages”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Monday that any decision by foreign leaders to recognise Palestine was ”rewarding terror”, according to reports.
“It defies imagination or understanding how intelligent people around the world, including seasoned diplomats, government leaders, and respected journalists, fall for this absurdity.”
He also said Israel’s goal was not to occupy Gaza, but instead to “free it from Hamas terrorists”.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.