New Zealand Breaks With Most of Its Allies, Will Not Recognise a Palestinian State

Acknowledging statehood amounts to ‘an existential act of defiance against an unalterable state of affairs,’ Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters addresses the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 26, 2025. U.N. Photo/Laura Jarriel

In a stance that differs from that of many of its closest allies, New Zealand has announced that it will not recognise Palestinian statehood.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters made the announcement in a much-heralded address to the U.N. General Assembly, taking most observers by surprise.