News- Middle East: A New Zealand member of parliament was ejected from the legislative chamber twice after delivering an impassioned speech about Gaza, while the government continues to avoid taking a position on recognizing Palestinian statehood.

Chlöe Swarbrick, the co-leader of the left-wing Green Party, was initially ordered to leave the chamber on Tuesday.

She challenged the members of the parliament "with a spine" to support her motion calling for New Zealand to sanction Israel over the Gaza genocide.

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

Though given an unusually long three-day suspension by New Zealand parliamentary norms, Swarbrick came back the next day - only to be expelled again for standing by her comments.

The parliament speaker, Gerry Brownlee, invoked an uncommon disciplinary measure in New Zealand's parliament by calling a vote to formally censure Swarbrick for misconduct - a procedure resulting in suspension with salary deduction. The motion carried with unanimous support from governing coalition members.

The reprimand took place against a backdrop of parliamentary turmoil, with the government facing intense scrutiny over its unwillingness to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

The move followed Australia's recent commitment to recognize Palestinian statehood, with France, Britain, and Canada expected to follow suit during September's UN General Assembly session.

“We are one of the very few countries in the world who so far refuse to acknowledge the absolute bare minimum,” Swarbrick said.

The State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign nation by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, representing 75 percent of the international community.

Meanwhile, New Zealand is still weighing its position on formally recognizing Palestinian statehood.

On Wednesday, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu "has lost the plot".

Luxon told reporters that the lack of humanitarian assistance, the forceful displacement of people, and the annexation of Gaza were utterly appalling and that Netanyahu had gone way too far.

Israel’s genocidal war, which began in October 2023, has so far killed over 61,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Source: Press TV