Gaza crisis: Two Kiwis with two very different views

Sunday, 27 July 2025

As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues to worsen, New Zealand foreign policy experts are urging the Government to act but differ what that action should be.

One calls for sanctions and recognition of Palestinian statehood. The other warns of misinformation and insists the bottleneck in aid is not Israel’s fault.

The split underscores how polarised debate over the Gaza war has become even in a country far from the conflict.

‘We need to be more than just spectators’

Robert Patman, an international relations expert from the University of Otago, says New Zealand’s current approach is too passive and risks being on the wrong side of history.

“New Zealand needs to be more than just spectators,” he said. “I think we need to act in concert with others.”

He is calling for the New Zealand Government to move beyond statements of concern and take stronger diplomatic and economic measures.

“I think New Zealand should indicate what sort of actions it will consider. This could include sanctions,” Patman said.

He believes the two-state solution, a long-held goal of international diplomacy, is on the brink of collapse, and that immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood by countries like New Zealand could help preserve it.

“By recognising a Palestinian state it will put serious legal obstacles to Israel carrying out… expelling Palestinians in Gaza and also annexing the West Bank.”

Patman acknowledged New Zealand’s record as the first of the Five Eyes partners to call for a ceasefire and humanitarian access, but said that was no longer enough.

“Sometimes you have to take options which are sensible and robust even if it offends some traditional allies.”

He suggested that joint recognition of Palestinian statehood by several countries could provide a coordinated diplomatic front to halt what he sees as a worsening crisis of displacement, violence, and geopolitical tension.

‘There is aid, but it is not getting in’

But Ashley Church, a New Zealand based Israeli advocate, rejects the suggestion that Israel is to blame for the worsening humanitarian crisis.

He said vast amounts of aid were already available at the border but were not reaching civilians in Gaza.

“There were 950 truckloads of aid sitting… Most of it's still sitting there… primarily intransigence or incompetence on the part of the UN and other agencies who are either refusing or unable to actually get it into the hands of the Palestinian people,” Church said.

He warned that some of the claims coming from the region are unverified or come from sources aligned with Hamas.

“The information regarding so-called starvation is coming from The Gaza Health Ministry, which is essentially the propaganda arm of Hamas,” he said.

Church believes international outrage is being fuelled by misinformation and a failure to acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself in a conflict sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

He also warned that singling out Israel for sanctions would amount to a double standard.

“I'm really frustrated at the way in which Israel is treated differently to literally every other country in the world,” he said.

Where the Government stands

Since the conflict escalated last year, New Zealand has contributed more than $37 million in humanitarian assistance. It has also imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers accused of inciting violence and paused funding to the UN agency UNRWA while an independent review is underway.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unimpeded aid access, but has stopped short of recognising Palestinian statehood or imposing wider sanctions.

Patman believes that is not enough, arguing the time for symbolic diplomacy is over.

“New Zealand has a reputation for playing a principled role in international affairs,” he said. “Now is the time to live up to that reputation with meaningful action.”

Church, on the other hand, believes the country is already doing what it can and should not be pressured into one-sided action.

“There’s a whole lot of reasons why this is a far more complex situation than is being portrayed,” he said.