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Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has been booted from Parliament for the rest of the week during a fiery debate over Palestine.

During a speech following the Government saying it would consider the recognition of Palestine over the next month, she called on Government MPs to back a Green Party bill sanctioning Israel “for its war crimes”.

Swarbrick said she wanted six MPs “with a spine”, to allow her call for further sanctions to be debated.

Speaker Gerry Brownlee said her statements were “completely unacceptable” and demanded Swarbrick withdraw and apologise.

Swarbrick refused and was then told to leave the House for the rest of the week, to which she said “happily”.

Speaking afterwards, Swarbrick told reporters that she had publicly said the comments that got her kicked out of the House many times before.

“As far as robust debate goes in that place, I think that was pretty mild in the context of the war crimes that are currently unfolding.”

Brownlee later clarified Swarbrick could return on Wednesday if she would withdraw and apologise.

“If she doesn’t, then she’ll be leaving the House again,” he said.

“I’m not going to sit in this chair and tolerate a member standing on her feet... and saying that other members of this House are spineless.”

Swarbrick attacks ‘ridiculous ruling’

Asked outside the House if the government was “spineless”, she said, “I think the facts speak for themselves.”

She said her party would see if they could get Brownlee to reflect on “what I think was kind of a ridiculous ruling”.

A reporter pointed out to Swarbrick that she seemed more exasperated than normal when speaking about this particular topic.

She said: “Guys, I’m tired. I’m angry. Human beings, your colleagues, journalists are being massacred. What the hell is the point of everything that we do ... if people in my place don’t do their job?

“... if we allow other human beings to be just mercilessly slaughtered, to be shot while waiting for food aid. What hope is there for humanity?”

Swarbrick said New Zealanders “just want something to be done”.

“I have stood at rallies for two years now and spoken to New Zealanders from all walks of life who desperately want our Parliament to get on with it.”

Swarbrick said former Prime Ministers and Opposition leaders had made comments to the effect of telling another MP to “get some guts” and her comments in the context of the history of the debating chamber were “pretty mild”.