Labour leader Chris Hipkins has revealed a breathtaking lack of principle in his latest comments on Newstalk ZB, where he criticised the Government for refusing to recognise a Palestinian state.
When host Heather du Plessis-Allan asked why he never pursued recognition while Prime Minister, Hipkins gave the only defensible answer: doing so in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre would have rewarded Hamas for its slaughter of 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of over 240 hostages. At that moment, even Hipkins understood the basic truth — that rewarding terrorism only guarantees more of it.
Yet when asked if that reasoning still applies, Hipkins blithely said no.
But what has changed since October 7? Hamas is still in control of Gaza, still holding hostages, still stealing humanitarian aid from its own people, and still vowing Israel’s destruction. The Palestinian Authority remains corrupt, violent, and deeply unpopular among Palestinians. Its school curriculum continues to glorify the murder of Jews and teach that all of Israel belongs to Palestine. Nothing fundamental has changed — except Hipkins’ willingness to chase a headline.
Worse still, Hamas has not only refused to renounce October 7, it has celebrated it as a model to be repeated. Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad boasted in interviews that the group will carry out “October 7 again and again until Israel is annihilated.” Spokesman Abu Obeida said that October 7 was just the beginning of a long war. Other Hamas leaders have gone further, openly linking international recognition of a Palestinian state to the violence of October 7 — arguing that the massacre “put Palestine back on the world’s agenda.”
In other words, Hamas themselves have said that global recognition is their reward for mass murder. By calling now for New Zealand to recognise Palestine, Hipkins is doing exactly what he once admitted must never be done: validating terrorism as a path to political gain.
Recognition under current conditions would not advance peace. It would embolden Hamas, sideline moderate voices, and remove any incentive for Palestinian leaders (whether in Gaza or Judea and Samaria (the so-called “West Bank”)) to undertake the reforms needed for genuine statehood: ending terror, dismantling incitement, and building accountable governance.
Hipkins’ flip-flop reveals not leadership but cowardice. He knew the truth after October 7 — recognition would reward terror. Now, less than a year later, he pretends otherwise. Such opportunism might score points with certain activists, but it undermines New Zealand’s credibility on the world stage and betrays the principles of peace and justice.
New Zealand’s foreign policy must be guided by principle, not political convenience. Rewarding Hamas for its atrocities by pushing for premature recognition of a Palestinian state is not principled — it is reckless.
Chris Hipkins once recognised that. Today, he chooses to forget.
