New Zealand leader says Netanyahu has ‘lost the plot’ over Gaza

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says Israel’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu has “lost the plot” as the country weighs whether to recognize a Palestinian state.

Luxon tells reporters that the lack of humanitarian assistance, the forceful displacement of people and the annexation of Gaza were “utterly” appalling and that Netanyahu had gone way too far.

“I think he has lost the plot,” adds Luxon, who heads the center-right coalition government. “What we are seeing overnight, the attack on Gaza City, is utterly, utterly unacceptable.”

Luxon said earlier this week New Zealand was considering whether to recognize a Palestinian state. Close ally Australia on Monday joined Canada, the UK and France in announcing it would do so at a UN conference in September.

Ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary session, a small number of protesters gathered outside the country’s parliament buildings, beating pots and pans. Local media organization Stuff reported protesters chanted “MPs grow a spine, recognize Palestine.”

Inside, Greens parliamentarian Chloe Swarbrick is removed from parliament’s debating chamber for a second day in a row after she refused to apologize for a comment insinuating government politicians were spineless for not supporting a bill to “sanction Israel for its war crimes.”

The government votes to suspend her after she refuses to leave. She calls out “free Palestine” as she exits.

“Sixty-eight members of this House were accused of being spineless,” House speaker Gerry Brownlee says. “There has never been a time where personal insults like that delivered inside a speech were accepted by this House and I’m not going to start accepting it.”