New Zealand has voted for a United Nations resolution on Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian Territory with some caveats, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.
“New Zealand’s yes vote is fundamentally a signal of our strong support for international law and the need for a two-state solution,” Peters said.
“The Israel-Palestine conflict has gone on for far too long and the suffering it has caused on both sides is immense. We have consistently said that a two-state solution is the only durable and just solution for Israelis and Palestinians.”
The resolution, which achieved majority support at the UN General Assembly this morning, affirms the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian Territory.
“That advisory opinion aligns with New Zealand’s long-standing view that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful,” Peters said.
However, New Zealand held concerns about aspects of the text of resolution, Peters said.
“This resolution was not perfect, and New Zealand has explained clearly at the United Nations this morning our reservations with aspects of the text.
“For example, the resolution’s 12-month timeframe for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian Territory is frankly unrealistic. We are also disappointed that the resolution goes beyond what was envisaged in the advisory opinion in some respects,” he said.
