Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand
Palestine Forum of New Zealand is calling on the Government to explain its position after reports that Pacific leaders have approved Israel as a sectoral partner of the Pacific Islands Forum.
According to 1News, the decision was made under a new two-tier partnership model, with Israel engaging at ministerial rather than leaders’ level. The Forum Secretariat had not publicly announced the decision when the report was published.
New Zealand is a Forum member and will host the 2027 Leaders’ Meeting. PFNZ calls on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters to answer four questions:
- What position did New Zealand take on Israel’s application?
- What advice did the Government receive on the diplomatic, legal and human rights implications?
- Did New Zealand raise Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories during its consideration?
- What safeguards will ensure the partnership does not undermine the Forum’s commitments to human rights, peace and self-determination?
“These are reasonable questions, and New Zealanders are entitled to clear, public answers,” said PFNZ Chair Maher Nazzal.
Cooperation cannot replace accountability
Israel has signalled interest in cooperating with Pacific states on water, agriculture, climate adaptation and innovation. These matter to Pacific communities. But technical cooperation must not shield any state from scrutiny under international law.
PFNZ respects the sovereign right of Pacific nations to make their own diplomatic decisions. Our concern is not with the people of Israel, or with cooperation that genuinely benefits the Pacific. It is with consistent principles and meaningful accountability, whichever state is involved.
Pacific solidarity
Pacific peoples understand what land, identity and self-determination mean. That is why the Palestinian experience of displacement and occupation resonates across the region. PFNZ urges the Government to show that its commitment to a rules-based order applies consistently, and encourages Pacific civil society and communities across Aotearoa to engage in informed discussion.
The question is not only who may join a regional forum. It is whether the principles that guide that forum are upheld consistently.