UNITED NATIONS: Dozens of delegations walked out of the United Nations General Assembly hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address on Thursday.
Footage from the session showed representatives from several countries leaving the hall as Netanyahu approached the podium. Reuters reported that dozens of delegates walked out at the start of his speech.
An Israeli count cited by media reports said representatives of 77 countries were either absent from the hall or left when Netanyahu began speaking. However, the figure included delegations that were already absent from the session, meaning not all absences could be confirmed as protest walkouts.
The delegations that left included representatives from countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Arab world. Pakistan, Iran, Türkiye, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan were among those reported to have left the hall as Netanyahu began his address.
The walkout came amid continued international criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and its wider regional actions. Netanyahu responded during his speech by criticising delegates who had left the chamber.
The Palestinian mission had called on representatives of UN member states to collectively leave the hall at the start of Netanyahu’s speech.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
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