New Zealand MP Chlöe Swarbrick Ejected From Parliament For Calling It “Spineless” For Gaza Inaction

New Zealand lawmaker Chlöe Swarbrick was ejected from parliament after she called fellow lawmakers “spineless” for failing to formally recognize the state of Palestine and impose sanctions on Israel.

On Monday, Aug. 11, New Zealand announced it will consider recognizing the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September after its close partners such as Australia made commitments to do so..

On Tuesday, Swarbrick, the 31-year-old co-leader of New Zealand’s Green Party,, said in a speech that Israel’s actions against Palestinians — not only since Oct. 7 but over the last 76 years — were part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing, apartheid and genocide.

Swarbrick called out other members of parliament and the prime minister for opposing the recognition of a Palestinian state over fears it would empower the “terrorist organization” Hamas, while recognizingIsrael’s statehood despite its “genocidal campaign” against Palestinians.

She called New Zealand “a laggard” and “an outlier” for being one of the few countries to refuse to acknowledge Palestine, which she said is “the bare minimum”.

“Human rights should not be conditional. We don't get human rights because somebody else decides that we are worthy, but we get them because we are human.” she said.

She called on the government to approve the “Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions” Bill, which her party had introduced in March, and to sanction Israel for its war crimes.

“If we find six of 68 government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history,” she concluded.

Speaker Gerry Brownlee then told Swarbrick that her statement was “completely unacceptable” and asked her to “withdraw it and apologize”

Swarbrick refused and was told to leave the parliament until next week.

Swarbrick has refused to apologize, telling the New Zealand Herald, “I don’t really know what I have to apologize for.”

Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed more than 62,614 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023.

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