David Seymour Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
A reverend who spent the night chained to Finance Minister Nicola Willis' office in Wellington says the government must impose sanctions on Israel.
Six church ministers are chained to each other, calling for sanctions and formal recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Reverend Mel McKenzie told First Up there needed to be urgent action to let aid into Gaza. She said history showed international pressure was sometimes needed to see change.
"[The] message from us and my fellow priests down here is really clear, that we are looking for a timeframe, a commitment from the government… for when sanctions will be imposed on Israel, and we're looking for meaningful sanctions."
The chaining came after massive protests at the weekend calling for much the same thing.
"There's been calls for action, for a ceasefire and also for just aid to enter Israel, to enter Gaza by Israel for now for months and months and months, and we're not seeing action," McKenzie said.
"Last week, the WHO chief just said to the international community, the situation is so dire in terms of casualties, in terms of just damage to human lives and imminent human humanitarian catastrophe that it's absolutely imperative to act immediately…
"We've seen that throughout history where governments need that kind of pressure when they're genocidal to be able to do the right thing and to rein in the atrocities."
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
She said other members of the Anglican clergy and whanau had assisted them overnight. She would not be drawn on whether they expected to be arrested or trespassed on Tuesday morning.
In Auckland five members of a group of clergy members doing a similar protest at National MP Simeon Brown's electorate office in Auckland were served trespass notices. The group left the building without incident, police said.
Officers also stopped a small group of people from accessing a different electorate office in central Wellington. They said nobody was trespassed or arrested.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, also talking to First Up, said the government's policy "remains the same".
"The government would like to see a two-state solution and is prepared to recognise Palestine at some point, but it has no commitment to do that right now because there remain serious questions.
"First of all, what is the state that you're recognising? What are its borders, who is its government? And second of all, what are the implications of recognition, given that this is a place still run by Hamas - a terrorist group, which, people frequently forget, committed a horrific atrocity, which is why this conflict began, and still continues to hold terrorists and still continues to hold a conviction that Israel and the Jewish people from the region should not exist.
"So, you know, that's the other side of the consideration that is sometimes forgotten as people see these horrific scenes on their social media and on the news at night."
He hoped a future Palestinian state would have "more peaceful" leadership.
"But right now you still have Hamas there, and I can't stress it enough. Many people are outraged, but they direct all of their outrage in one direction… I think what is critical here is to get to an end to the humanitarian suffering, and that requires ultimately, the end of Hamas. They are the centre, and the cause of this problem."
He said Foreign Minister Winston Peters would reveal New Zealand's decision at the UN General Assembly in October.
The government sanctioned Israel's finance and national security ministers in June, banning them from travelling to New Zealand.
Nicola Willis said six clergy were obstructing people from seeking help.
Willis said she was attending a caucus meeting so did not have time to accept their invitation to break bread. She said she respected the right to peaceful protest.
"I would point out, however, that they are obstructing those who would want to go to that office to get help with electorate matters. Many people will find it intimidating that there are people on the street outside."
Willis is not an electorate MP but still hears concerns from the public.
'It's time' - Hipkins
Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Labour leader Chris Hipkins told Morning Report on Tuesday that it was time for New Zealand to recognise Palestine as a state.
"We should of done that two years ago, it's time to do that now," he said.
"It's clear the government seem to have made a decision and are leaving it to Winston Peters to announce at the Untied Nations. I think they should tell New Zealand what the New Zealand position is before they announce it to the rest of the world."
Hipkins also said the Labour Party supported further sanctions on Israel.
"Their actions have gone far to far, they are well outside of international law, there is an unfolding genocide taking place in Gaza."
He said he would call "absolutely" call on the ambassador but not expel him.
Invitation to break bread
The clergy on Tuesday morning extended an invitation to the finance minister to break bread with them at a communion service this morning.
They were motivated by the "awful, disastrous situation that is being inflicted on the Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza," Father Gerard Burns said.
"We're doing it because of our Christian commitment, out of love - we want to stand with those that are suffering and think our government should take significant actions, which we say are sanctions against Israel."
Father Burns said the government's response to Israel has been starkly different to its treatment of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
"The sanctions against Russia cover 1800 individuals, military entities and banks, we've put 35 percent tariffs on all Russian exports. But for Israel, in the midst of all this, I think we've sanctioned about 35 individuals.
"There's disproportion in what we've done, and we think it should be much more proportionate, especially given the scale of the activities going on against the Palestinians."
"We're asking our government, as we would ask any government, to act strongly against injustice and violence and genocidal activity."
Burns said it had been an uncomfortable night sleeping on the footpath but nothing compared to what people in Palestine were facing.
"We weren't bombed, we weren't shifted out of the place, we weren't living in fear of our lives. It was slightly uncomfortable with not much sleep, but it was a quiet and peaceful night and we thank God for that."
The confirmed death toll in Gaza since Israel started it campaign following the 7 October, 2003 attack from Hamas is more than 60,000 - though some estimates have total casualties as high as 200,000.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
