Deputy leaders Carmel Sepuloni (left) and Nicola Willis. Photo: RNZ
National and Labour's deputy leaders joined Morning Report for RNZ's weekly political panel
Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni has accused the government of doing the bare minimum to confront Israel's actions in Gaza.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Morning Report the government had imposed sanctions and condemned the actions of both Israel and Hamas.
"We have sanctioned Israeli leaders with travel bans, we have taken strong action here."
The situation was devastating, she said, "but we do also need to acknowledge Hamas have acted as terrorists, they still retain hostages."
She said whether a new UN report concluding Israel has committed genocide would change anything for the government would be for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to consider.
Sepuloni said her party would recognise Palestinian statehood and implement stronger sanctions against Israel.
"We've been calling on this government to do that."
She said the government had failed to meet New Zealand's long tradition of standing up on foreign policy.
Meanwhile, an RNZ-Reid Research poll has Labour narrowly ahead of National but with neither bloc able to govern on its own.
Labour has retained its position as the most popular party, rising 1.1 points to 34.3 percent. National is close behind on 32.5 percent, up 1.8 points.
The Greens have slipped to 10.9 percent, New Zealand First has dipped to 8.7, and ACT has edged up to 7.2.
Te Pāti Māori has taken the biggest knock, sliding 1.4 points to 4.1 percent.
When it comes to seats in the House, the poll has things on a knife-edge, with both blocs on 60 seats each.
However, if Te Pāti Māori keeps all of its six electorate seats, it would create an overhang, and give the left-bloc enough to form a government.
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