Winston Peters clashes with Palestine protestors at Parliament

The Foreign Affairs Minister has clashed with protesters over the government's stance on Palestine, during a hearing at Parliament.

Winston Peters was speaking to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee as part of Scrutiny Week on Wednesday afternoon, and was being questioned by MPs on the government's response to the war in Gaza.

Last year at the United Nations General Assembly, Peters announced the government would not yet recognise Palestine, but it would be a "when, not if".

Peters was asked by Labour MP Damien O'Connor how the government's approach had "served the interests" of the tens of thousands killed since the start of the war.

The Minister said some of New Zealand's allies who had recognised Palestine had laid out their criteria, recognised Palestine, and then hoped the criteria would be met later.

"In any transaction in your life, put aside this issue, being Gaza - where would you follow that criteria as being the wisest part of decision making? The way we did it, or the way they did it?"

Peters was answering a further line of questions on whether New Zealand had spoken strongly enough against Israel, when Hāhona Ormsby stood to interrupt him.

"Is it New Zealand First, Winston? Or is it Israel First?" Ormsby asked.

He asked if New Zealand would sanction Israel, or "investigate Israel for the people that were on the flotilla who were brutally beaten and tortured?"

Committee chair Tim van de Molen asked Ormsby and others with him to leave the room, and for the livestream feed to be cut while they left.

Speaking to media afterwards, Peters said the protest was an "abuse" of Parliamentary procedure.