WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand lawmaker who was thrown out of Parliament for calling her opponents spineless during a fiery debate about a Palestinian state was ejected again on Wednesday when she refused to apologize for the remark.
Chlöe Swarbrick, co-leader of the left-leaning Green Party and part of the opposition bloc, was ordered to leave parliament on Tuesday over a speech in which she called for government lawmakers “with a spine” to endorse her proposal for New Zealand to impose sanctions on Israel over the war in Gaza.
She was hit with a three-day ban — lengthy by New Zealand parliamentary standards — but returned the next day only to be ejected a second time.
Her censure came amid fraught scenes in Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday as opponents rebuked the government for not moving to recognize an independent Palestinian state, days after neighboring Australia pledged to do so. Countries including France, Britain and Canada are also expected to recognize a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
“We are one of the very few countries in the world who so far refuse to acknowledge the absolute bare minimum,” Swarbrick said.
Calling opponents spineless prompted the ejection
The Green party lawmaker was abruptly ejected from the debating chamber when she urged government politicians to join her in a proposal to sanction Israel, which currently wouldn’t have enough votes to pass into law.
“If we can find six of 68 government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history,” Swarbrick said, referring to other Members of Parliament.
“That is completely unacceptable to make that statement,” Speaker Gerry Brownlee interrupted. “Withdraw it and apologize.”
The Green politician refused. Brownlee told her to leave the debating chamber for the rest of the week.
“Happily,” Swarbrick said.
The standoff resumed when Swarbrick took her seat again on Wednesday despite the ban and Brownlee asked again if she would apologize. Swarbrick declined and was ejected once more, yelling “free Palestine” as she went.
Brownlee took the serious step, rare in New Zealand’s Parliament, of taking a vote to “name” Swarbrick for her misconduct, a ruling that means a legislator is formally suspended with their pay docked. The vote passed, with all government lawmakers endorsing it.
Opposition lawmakers claim double standards
The measure provoked fresh debate in Parliament about punishments for unruly behavior. Government lawmakers voted in June to enact unprecedented lengthy bans of opposition Māori Party lawmakers who performed a haka chant to protest a controversial vote.
On Wednesday, opposition politicians decried Swarbrick’s penalty as unusually severe, with lawmaker Willie Jackson highlighting his own ban of just 30 minutes for calling one of his colleagues a liar, before he was allowed to resume his seat without an apology. In another recent example, a government politician used an eye-watering expletive without censure, supporters of Swarbrick said.
Several others had escaped punishment in recent years when using the word “spineless” about their opponents. Opposition leader Chris Hipkins said it was unprecedented for a lawmaker to be ejected from Parliament for a second day over the same offense.
Brownlee, however, said he had drawn a line when Swarbrick directed a personal insult at all 68 government lawmakers — including him.
“We have so many threats and other stuff being directed at Members of Parliament,” he said. “If we don’t change the behavior in here, nothing will change outside.”
Protests about the war in Gaza have prompted tensions about free speech in other countries. In London, more than 500 people were arrested Saturday when supporters of a pro-Palestinian group recently outlawed as a terrorist organization intentionally broke the law to test the British government’s ability to enforce the ban.
Pressure grows to decide Palestinian statehood question
Meanwhile, the government continues to mull recognition of an independent Palestinian state. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon Wednesday made his most strident rebuke yet of Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the Israel leader “has lost the plot” on the “human catastrophe” in Gaza.
“I think Netanyahu has gone way too far,” Luxon told reporters. “He is not listening to the international community and that is unacceptable.”
While senior New Zealand officials, including Luxon, have said recognition of Palestine from their government was “a matter of not if, but when,” his Cabinet has yet to endorse a change of position. A decision will be made in September after further consideration, Luxon said Monday.
