O'Connor DamienHon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. Yesterday the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. My reaction: about bloody time. In this House today we heard the Minister of Foreign Affairs' calls for a permanent ceasefire—about bloody time. Do you know why? Don't ask me; ask António Guterres; ask the growing number of Jewish people around the world who are horrified that this continues in Gaza and the West Bank under the title of defending Jewish people". No it's defending Netanyahu and a right-wing Government and their Zionist agenda not the Jewish people. If we think or that Government thinks that what is going on in Gaza is going to secure the rights of the Jewish State or peace in the Middle East they are dreaming.The events that took place on 7 October were horrific—but they go way back before then and they've gone on since then—events that we say are unjustified horrific and indeed it's not something that New Zealand has had to face. We've in fact had a proud history of being independent in our foreign policy but we've sat on our hands for too long and not called for a permanent ceasefire.I came into this place like most people did to build a better New Zealand and that has to be within a better world. But there can be no prosperity without peace anywhere in the world. For some time the Government thought that this was in the Middle East away from us and then we saw the actions of people in Yemen. That directly affected our trade so we do have a direct economic interest but that's not the reason we should stand up.I quite frankly have been horrified to think that I'm in a country that can stand back and say nothing when people are being slaughtered when people are being starved when hospitals and schools are being bombed. We've had 25000—or thereabouts and I'm sure it will be today—Palestinian casualties 61000-plus injuries. We've had 1200 Jewish people killed 5500 injured—horrific regardless of those people whatever State they come from wherever they were born through no fault of their own whether it was on one side of the border or to one faith or another. We have seen horrific outcomes in the Middle East that I'm sure unfortunately will probably have ramifications for a long time.We've been involved in a propaganda war. Some of the things we've heard in this House today are nothing more than propaganda from one side or from the other. Go online and look. Don't just look at one but look at many of the posted videos or statements as I say from Jewish people around the world Jewish leaders around the world who do not support the actions of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) do not support the slaughter of people in Gaza.The proposed action in Rafah would be the final straw the final step in what has not been deemed a genocide. So the International Court of Justice heard a case made a ruling on 26 January made some recommendations and there has been some monitoring. The unfortunate reality is that many of the indications that might move actions towards a genocide as set by the International Court of Justice in fact have been carried out. I want to make the ruling here that I'd suggest to you that in the annals of history those people who sat back and did nothing will be very embarrassed. We live we think in a civilised world. How can we be civilised and not speak out when we see in front of us the slaughter of women and children who have had no role in the actions of Hamas which also we must condemn but the disproportionate and the indiscriminate reaction by the IDF in reaction to 7 October is outrageous. This must stop. A ceasefire must be permanent."