Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupt Peters during parliamentary hearing on Gaza

Foreign Minister Winston Peters was confronted by pro-Palestinian protesters during a hearing of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on Thursday, temporarily halting proceedings as security escorted demonstrators from the room.

The disruption occurred during Scrutiny Week, when ministers appear before select committees to answer questions from MPs about their portfolios.

Peters was being questioned by Labour MP Damien O’Connor about the government’s response to the war in Gaza and New Zealand’s position on recognising a Palestinian state.

Last year, Peters told the United Nations General Assembly that recognition of Palestine by New Zealand was a matter of “when, not if”. During Wednesday’s hearing, he defended the government’s approach, arguing that some countries had recognised Palestinian statehood first and hoped the conditions for statehood would follow later.

“Our difference was, it wasn’t a matter of if, it was when,” Peters said.

Rejecting suggestions that New Zealand had been timid in its response, he added: “I don’t think we’ve been timid at all. I think we’ve been logical, rational and sane about it.”

Peters also told MPs that conversations with Palestinian representatives had reinforced his view that the institutions and conditions necessary for statehood would take time to develop.

The hearing was interrupted when Hāhona Ormsby, one of two New Zealanders detained by Israeli authorities after participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza last month, stood and challenged the minister.

“Is it New Zealand First, Winston? Or is it Israel First?” Ormsby asked.

He also demanded to know whether New Zealand would sanction Israel and investigate allegations concerning the treatment of flotilla participants.

Committee chair Tim van de Molen suspended proceedings and ordered the public gallery cleared while the parliamentary livestream was temporarily halted. Protesters were escorted from the room by parliamentary security.

As they were removed, another protester shouted, “Free Palestine, Winnie!”

According to media reports, a female protester described Peters as “a participant of war” and told him: “You are a war criminal – you know that. I hope you don’t sleep at night.”

Proceedings resumed after the protesters had been removed.

The incident came only weeks after Peters publicly condemned Israel over the detention of the two New Zealand participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to summon the Israeli ambassador to express New Zealand’s concerns. He also criticised an Israeli minister over videos mocking detained activists.

During the hearing, Peters reiterated New Zealand’s support for a negotiated two-state solution, arguing that the timing and consequences of recognition required careful consideration.

“Every decision you make, if you’ve got any experience, you’ve got to think to yourself, ‘And then what?'” he said.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Peters described the interruption as an abuse of parliamentary procedure.

The confrontation highlighted the increasingly contentious nature of debate surrounding the Gaza conflict in New Zealand, with the disruption occurring during one of Parliament’s principal mechanisms for ministerial scrutiny and accountability.