The Green Party has refused to back its MP Chloe Swarbrick after the Auckland Central MP delivered a speech at an Auckland rally on the weekend which has been widely condemned as unnecessarily inflammatory and offensive to the Jewish community.

Video circulating online showed Swarbrick leading a chant of "from the river to the sea”, at the same rally where Labour MP, Phil Twyford was forced off the stage and escorted away from protesters by the Police after saying he condemned the violence against civilians by Hamas.

The full phrase, "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", appears within the Hamas charter and there is a large group of people, at the very least, who believe that it means no Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people according to a statement from the ACT Party.

ACT leader, David Seymour has demanded Swarbrick explain her actions publicly and justify "why she is repeating statements from the terrorist organisation Hamas’ charter". 

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak recently condemned the use of the phrase saying it was deeply offensive to many people, while the UK Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer suspended an MP for using it last week. 

Sunak's view about the inappropriateness of the chant was echoed by New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses who told RNZ's Morning Report earlier today that the vast majority of the Jewish community considered the phrase offensive.

"I might add that there are many outside the Jewish community who also have a problem with it," Moses said.

Shortly before his X account was deleted yesterday, Wellington-based communications consultant and lobbyist David Cormack posted, "Regardless of what you think the 'from the river to the sea' chant means, to Jewish people it sounds like calling for our annihilation.  Those of us on the left who express solidarity with Palestinians can do so without using a chant that genuinely terrifies people."

"Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the Jewish community lives in fear of antisemitism and must watch as political leaders repeat it with no accountability," said Seymour. 

"While Chloe Swarbrick has the right to say what she likes, people also have the right to question what she meant when she is repeating such inflammatory statements."

Seymour demanded Swarbrick explain to New Zealand’s Jewish community, and to New Zealanders more broadly, why she thought it was appropriate to lead a crowd chanting a phrase "that has such a dark meaning for so many people.”

Swarbrick told RNZ's Morning Report, "I recognise that there are different views on what this statement means, but I also think it is really important for us to point out that this is a purposeful distraction that is bring used the world over to shut down peace activists from Jewish and Palestinian backgrounds."

However, the Green Party failed to respond to questions from Newstalk ZB Plus yesterday asking whether it agreed with Swarbrick's actions and seeking clarification about whether the Auckland Central MP's statements were consistent with a two-state solution as supported by the Green Party.

Although Swarbrick was accompanied to the Auckland rally by fellow Green Party MPs, Mārama Davidson, Golriz Ghahraman and Ricardo Menéndez March, Green co-leader James Shaw was notably absence. 

Swarbrick also failed to respond to questions from Newstalk ZB Plus yesterday asking for clarification about her statements including clarifying whether she believes that they were consistent with a two-state solution and whether she had met with representatives of the Jewish community at any time in the recent past to listen to their concerns.

Earlier this afternoon, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters that he would not use the phrase "from the river to the sea" as it was "loaded", and his expectation was that Labour MPs would also not use the phrase.

This latest controversy follows claims made by Green Party co-leader Mārama Davidson last month during an election debate that if Hamas was designated a terrorist group under New Zealand legislation, that the New Zealand government should also designated the Israeli Defence Force as a terrorist organisation.  Australia has proscribed Hamas as a terrorist organisation since 2001, and the US, EU, UK and Germany, amongst others, have also made similar designations.

In response to questions from Newstalk ZB Plus, a Green Party spokesperson refused to support Davidson's statement or confirm whether the Green Party considered the Israeli Defence Force a terrorist organisation. 

Palestinian protests have been organised throughout the country in recent weeks - central Auckland saw hundreds take to the streets two weeks ago calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Aotea Square saw another protest a week later with thousands chanting, waving flags and holding placards. 

New Zealand has called for a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas to create safe areas for civilians and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.