Politics blog week of 21/07

The discussion about the war in Gaza concluded with harsh criticism from Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, who said the Government was doing little except providing "pathetic lip service".

"A population of 2 million, including 1 million children, is being starved," Waititi said.

"This continuation of a genocide is the most cruel humanitarian crisis. The merciless butchering of people and children, while being deliberately starved... This Government does many cruel things, but nothing is as cruel as being mates with those committing this genocide. They are complicit," he said, which sparked some groans from the coalition bench.

Waititi continued: "We do not accept this Government's pathetic lip service calling for a ceasefire. It is your fifth time in two years. We must end this human crisis. Sanction Israel. Sanction everyone supporting them. Again, we demand Israel; open the bloody gates and stop the genocide."

The Green Party, through foreign affairs spokesperson Teanau Tuiono, had also criticied the Government for being focused on "talk" instead of actions to put further pressure on Israel.

But Waititi's comments went beyond what other parties have said. In particular, the Labour Party's leaders have recently avoided using the word "genocide". That's despite older hands, such as former trade minister Damien O'Connor, publicly accusing Israel of committing genocide.

Labour and the coalition parties have said it is not up to politicians, but up to the International Court of Justice, to make a declaration that genocide is underway.

In the House, Foreign Minister Winston Peters responded by saying Hamas needed to release all Israeli hostages if it was serious about peace. He said New Zealand should wait for the ICJ to see "the facts" before labeling anything as "genocide".