Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu has “lost the plot” and has condemned attacks on Gaza.
It is among the strongest language the New Zealand leader has used against Netanyahu and comes amid reports of intense aerial attacks on Gaza after Israel’s decision to launch a fresh military operation.
Neither his Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, nor Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters would say if they agreed with Luxon.
Both wanted to verify his remarks before commenting to media.
A statement this week from The Elders, an independent group of global leaders including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, said there is an “unfolding genocide” occurring in Gaza.
Clark and former Irish President Mary Robinson have just visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Palestinian territory.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins told the Herald “unfolding genocide” was a “good description” of the situation.
He explained that politicians shouldn’t appoint themselves “judge and jury”, but there was a case to be answered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Asked by the Herald whether he agreed with that description, Luxon said what is happening in Gaza is “utterly, utterly appalling”.
“I think Netanyahu has gone way too far. I think he has lost the plot. What we are seeing overnight, the attack on Gaza City, is utterly, utterly unacceptable,” he said.
Luxon said the Israeli Prime Minister is “not listening to the international community”.
He said he had been “consistent” in his language and said the current military actions was “driving more human catastrophe across Gaza”.
New Zealand had limited trade to Israel and connection there, but “we have stood up for values”.
Luxon reiterated that any attempt by Israel at annexation would likely breach international law.
When he was pressed on the gravity of saying another leader had lost the plot, Luxon said: “I am telling you what my personal view is”.
“As a human being, looking at the situation, that is how I feel about it.”
Peters would not say whether Netanyahu had “lost the plot”.
He told the Herald he did not want to comment on what Luxon had said “unless I hear it myself and verify it”.
“I will find out whether he said it,” Peters said.
Seymour said he didn’t know what the basis was for Luxon’s comments.
“All I know is the whole situation is very sad and our Government’s working carefully through how we respond to it.”
Seymour earlier said it was up to the ICJ to decide about claims of genocide.
“They have said it may be likely, but they haven’t said that it is. Unless Chris Hipkins knows something more than the ICJ, I am not sure,” he said.
He questioned what could be done.
Seymour emphasised the Government was wanting to make a “sane, sober” decision on the question of Palestinian statehood “in full knowledge of the facts”.
Hipkins said “we have an obligation to prevent genocide, and I don’t think you can do that if you don’t name an unfolding genocide”.
Asked whether he agreed with Luxon’s comments, Hipkins paused briefly.
“Probably yes, actually. That is probably quite an astute observation,” he said.
“The reason I paused to think about it is because of the strength of that language. Israel’s actions are totally unjustifiable, totally undefendable and Benjamin Netanyahu as the head of the Israeli Government ultimately is accountable for that.
“Christopher Luxon’s comments, I do support them.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week said Netanyahu was “in denial”.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu. He, again, reiterated to me what he has said publicly as well – which is to be in denial about the consequences that are occurring for innocent people," he told the ABC.
According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu on Sunday rejected allegations of a genocide, saying if Israel had wanted to commit genocide, “it would have taken exactly one afternoon”.
On Monday, the Government announced it would formally weigh up New Zealand’s position on the recognition of Palestine over the next month.
After a meeting between Luxon and Albanese over the weekend, the Prime Ministers said there was a “catastrophic humanitarian situation” happening in Gaza.
“Any attempt by Israel to escalate hostilities, including by taking control of Gaza City, would be wrong, risk violating international law and exacerbate the human catastrophe already unfolding inside the Gaza Strip. We urge the Israeli Government to reconsider before it is too late.”
A statement issued by several countries’ Foreign Ministers over the weekend, including 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.”
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.