Turkish delegation walks out of UN Assembly in protest of Netanyahu's speech

Turkish delegation, alongside many others, walked out of the U.N. General Assembly on Friday in protest ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech.

Led by Türkiye's permanent representative to the U.N., Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, the delegation exited the hall just before Netanyahu took the podium to address the 79th session.

Several other delegations followed Türkiye's lead, leaving the assembly in solidarity.

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 27: A general view of the largely empty hall after the Turkish delegation, led by permanent representative to UN, Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, and many others left the UN General Assembly to protest ahead of a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York, United States on September 27, 2024. Many other delegations were seen to follow the protest by Türkiye's representatives and also walk out of the hall. Criticism has arisen over allowing the UN address by Netanyahu, for whom International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking an arrest warrant for alleged "war crimes." ( Fatih Aktaş - Anadolu Agency )

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 27: A general view of the largely empty hall after the Turkish delegation, led by permanent representative to UN, Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, and many others left the UN General Assembly to protest ahead of a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York, United States on September 27, 2024. Many other delegations were seen to follow the protest by Türkiye's representatives and also walk out of the hall. Criticism has arisen over allowing the UN address by Netanyahu, for whom International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking an arrest warrant for alleged "war crimes." ( Fatih Aktaş - Anadolu Agency )

Netanyahu defends Israel's atrocities

During his speech, Netanyahu defended Israel's actions in recent conflicts, stating, “Israel wants peace, but we face barbaric enemies. Our enemy seeks to destroy us and our civilization.”

He also presented a map showing Palestinian territories as part of Israel, while referring to the region encompassing Syria, Iraq, and Iran as a "curse."

Protests erupt in New York against Netanyahu

Netanyahu's appearance has drawn significant criticism, with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan reportedly seeking an arrest warrant for him over war crimes.

Meanwhile, in New York, protests erupted against Netanyahu’s UN address, with Palestinian supporters and anti-war activists demonstrating outside. Clashes between protesters and law enforcement led to several arrests.

September 27, 2024 08:33 PM GMT+03:00