'It's a matter of when not if' New Zealand recognises a Palestinian state, David Seymour says
Photo:
RNZ / Mark Papalii
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour says recognising Palestine as a state is a complex decision that should not be rushed, but "it's a matter of when not if" New Zealand does so.
Seymour said there would be some hope of starting a discussion about recognising a Palestinian state if Hamas released the Israeli hostages and demilitarised.
"New Zealand's government position remains the same as it always has been, it's a matter of when not if we recognise a two state solution and we will be having discussions over the next fortnight or so over whether there should be any change on that position."
France, the United Kingdom, Canada and now
Australia
, have all declared an intention to recognise a Palestinian state at a United Nations summit next month.
Asked why New Zealand was delaying this decision, Seymour said "we shouldn't assume that other countries are right".
It was a very complex situation and it was important to take time to come to a sound decision, he said.
"It's not just a question of what are you actually recognising, what conditions do you place around that, it's also a question of okay so after you've done this what happens next?"
It was easy to by horrified by the violence in the Palestinian territories shown on television and social media and to be driven to want to take action, he said.
"It doesn't mean that any old solution is the correct one."
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