UN vote: NZ supports enhancing Palestine’s status — Peters

NEW Zealand has voted in favour of a resolution to broaden the Palestinian role at the United Nations General Assembly.

On Saturday, the UN’s General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of Palestine being granted full membership of the United Nations.

New Zealand was among 143 countries that supported the resolution — nine, including the United States, voted against. Palestine has observer status at present.

A bid for full membership would have to be approved by the UN Security Council, where it would probably be vetoed by the US, the BBC is reporting. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the resolution enhanced the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full member of the UN. ‘‘New Zealand will make a clear statement to the UN later this morning explaining its vote, indicating that while it supports enhancing Palestine’s status at the UN, this does not amount to recognition of Palestinian statehood,’’ Mr Peters said on Saturday.

New Zealand’s vote first and foremost reflected the frustration felt by the international community ‘‘at the endless cycle of violence that continues to beset the region’’, he said.

‘‘We have consistently said that Israel and a future Palestinian state living peacefully side by side is the only durable and just solution. That can only be achieved by the parties ending this conflict and returning to the negotiating table,’’ Mr Peters said.

‘‘This was a finely balanced decision by New Zealand because while we have had a longstanding position in support of a twostate solution, and view recognition of statehood as a ‘when, not if’ question, our focus continues to be on the needs of

Winston Peters the moment,’’ Mr Peters said. Those needs were a permanent ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages taken during the attack by Hamas last October and relieving the humanitarian crisis. ‘‘The catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza can only be solved by the parties around a negotiating table, not by military action in Rafah and we call for an immediate deescalation.

‘‘While the UN resolution is a strong statement in support of Palestine’s aspirations and reflects New Zealand and the international community’s expectations for real progress towards a political solution, achieving statehood must ultimately require serious negotiations between both Israel and

Palestinians, including over the political authority of a future Palestinian state,’’ Mr Peters said.

Yesterday, Mr Peters arrived in the Solomon Islands for the first leg of his Pacific tour, and an audience with the newly elected Prime Minister.

Mr Peters and a delegation of MPs met Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele in Honiara. Mr Manele, who had been Solomon Islands’ minister of foreign affairs since 2019, was sworn in as prime minister on May 2, following the resignation of Manasseh Sogavare.

Mr Peters said the delegation had congratulated the new government, and was privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his cabinet during the government’s first 10 days in office.

‘‘This very early visit reflects the deep and longstanding relationship we share, based on mutual respect and common values.’’

Mr Peters indicated the visit would be the first of a range of highlevel engagements between New Zealand and Solomon Islands this year, including a further visit, and an invitation to host Mr Manele in New Zealand. ‘‘This meeting was a welcome opportunity to discuss the new Solomon Islands government’s priorities for its first 100 days in office, and New Zealand’s development partnership with Solomon Islands spanning priority areas including critical infrastructure, education, governance and economic reform,’’ Mr Peters said.

Mr Peters is leading a delegation of MPs, including Health Minister and Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, chairman of Parliament’s foreign affairs, defence and trade committee Tim van de Molen and Labour’s foreign affairs spokesman, David Parker.

The delegation will also be visiting Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Tuvalu in the coming days. — RNZ