By Stuff…
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says the Government’s position on Israel is “an embarrassment to the country” following the decision not to join the UK, Canada, and France in new sanctions.
The UK earlier announced it would ban goods and imports linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where it said “settler terrorists” were carrying out the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
France and Canada announced they would take similar action in an attempt to prevent expanding settlements and growing violence from making it impossible to establish a future Palestinian state.
But New Zealand said it wouldn’t join the move, with a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters saying Aotearoa “has not traditionally used trade measures to address foreign policy issues”.
“To do so would be complex and require a full policy process. We are not in a position to do that ahead of the election,” the spokesperson added, while still condemning “the increase in illegal settlements” that “put the prospects for a sustainable peace at risk”.
Read the full story on Stuff HERE. Or read Radio NZ’s story HERE. Or read J-Wire’s story HERE.
