NZ Jewish Council urges caution on premature recognition of Palestinian state
The New Zealand Jewish Council has reiterated its long-held position that the only viable resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is a negotiated two-state solution — one that results in a secure and recognised Israel alongside a peaceful and democratic Palestinian state, reached through direct talks and backed by mutual recognition and security guarantees.
Juliet Moses
In a statement responding to media questions about a possible change in New Zealand’s policy, NZJC spokesperson Juliet Moses warned against recognising a Palestinian state in the absence of a comprehensive peace agreement.
“Recognition has always been envisaged as the culmination of a negotiated settlement, not a substitute for one,” she said. “Premature recognition risks undermining rather than advancing the peace process.”
The Council emphasised that it does not comment on Israeli domestic policy, but does speak on issues of Israel’s legitimacy and security, and on New Zealand policies that directly affect the safety and wellbeing of the Jewish community here.
While welcoming the Government’s stated support for freeing all Israeli hostages, removing Hamas from power, and normalising relations between Israel and the Palestinians, the NZJC said recognising a Palestinian state before these conditions are met “removes incentives for progress” and risks “abandoning the hostages in inhumane conditions without access to the Red Cross.”
The Council also warned that such a move would leave Hamas armed and entrenched, reward the absence of agreed borders or a unified Palestinian government, and send the message that “significant political concessions can be obtained without meeting the responsibilities that go with them.”
“New Zealand’s standing as a principled voice for peace and the rules-based international order is jeopardised by a move that is out of step with realities on the ground,” the statement concluded. “Anything less than a negotiated two-state outcome risks replacing the prospect of peace with the certainty of further war and bloodshed.”
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