Labour MP Damien O'Connor has come under fire after a tweet that was posted then removed from his account (file photo). Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Labour MP and former trade minister Damien O'Connor has removed a social media post he shared online that seems to justify Hamas' 7 October attack on Israel, but he has not apologised.
The ACT Party says O'Connor must formally say sorry or be stripped of his role as Labour's associate spokesperson on foreign affairs.
O'Connor had reposted a video of a speech by retired US Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson on X / Twitter, along with the quote: "Palestinians have every right to do whatever they did on October 7th".
The post was deleted from O'Connor's page shortly before midday Monday.
Earlier on Monday, ACT issued a media release, denouncing O'Connor's actions as "extreme and hateful".
ACT MP Simon Court, perhaps Israel's most ardent defender in Parliament, told RNZ that O'Connor had gone "far too far" by sharing the post.
ACT MP Simon Court Photo: RNZ
"Hamas-led Palestinians invaded Israel, killed over 1000 people, took over 100 hostages, committed atrocities on a scale not seen since the Holocaust in World War Two," Court said.
"There is no world in which what Damien O'Connor said is okay."
Court demanded Labour leader Chris Hipkins reprimand his senior MP and remove him from his position.
"[O'Connor] shouldn't be speaking on behalf of one of New Zealand's largest and oldest political parties and saying things that are essentially the promotion of terrorism and a pogrom."
Asked by RNZ for a response, Labour issued a brief statement on behalf of O'Connor, noting that the post had been removed but offering no explanation or apology.
"It's intolerable to see civilians continue to suffer disproportionately as innocent victims in this conflict," the statement said.
"We call on the National government to take stronger action on this situation, including recognition of Palestine and by intervening in the [International Court of Justice] case brought by South Africa against Israel."
RNZ also asked for a response from Hipkins. A spokesperson replied: "Damien acknowledged his mistake and removed the retweet himself. No further action is being taken in this case".
Court said Hipkins needed to stop prevaricating and make Labour's position clear.
"Kiwi Jewish families and Israelis who live here must be quite horrified by what they've heard this Labour former minister say," Court said.
"Either Damien O'Connor... has fallen for the trick, or he truly believes that what Hamas-led Palestinians did on that day is okay.
"Hipkins needs to front up and say, is that Labour Party policy?"
Last month, Labour MP Duncan Webb posted and then deleted a video on social media featuring pro-Palestinian protesters chanting at the prime minister: "How many kids did you kill today".
ACT has positioned itself as the most pro-Israel party in Parliament, with leader David Seymour citing the large Jewish community in his electorate.
Seymour last week requested that Foreign Minister Winston Peters consult the party on New Zealand's position on Israel before making significant decisions on it.
New Zealand, the week before, had voted in favour of a UN resolution in support of Palestine, at odds with Australia and Canada which both abstained.
Discussing the vote, Peters told RNZ that Israel had the right to defend itself "but there comes a time when you cannot maintain that argument when so many innocent people become the victims of your defence."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon last week said New Zealand's position was "clear-minded and very sensible" given the risk of contagion through the region.
Asked by AAP whether Israel's military response to the 7 October attacks was disproportionate, Luxon responded simply: "yes".
Posed the same question by RNZ on Monday, Court offered a contrary response: "I've seen no evidence of that from here in New Zealand.
"What we have seen is Israel being incredibly targeted... Unfortunately, these terrorist organisations choose to hide among civilian populations and use their own people as human shields."
Israel declared war after Hamas militants invaded Israeli territory on 7 October, killing more than 1100 people and kidnapping about 250 more, according to Israeli tallies.
Since then, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military response, according to Gaza's health authorities.
