Canada was not part of a mass walkout Friday morning during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly.
According to his office, Canadian Ambassador Bob Rae remained seated throughout Netanyahu’s speech while dozens of foreign diplomats left the room. The Canadian Press has reached out to Global Affairs Canada for comment but has not yet received a statement.
The presiding official had to call for order multiple times as delegations, including many from developing countries, rose to leave the room. The U.K. and the U.S. had lower-level diplomats attend the speech, The Associated Press reported.In his speech, Netanyahu attacked the decision by multiple countries, including Canada, France and Australia, to recognize a Palestinian state.“ Your disgraceful decision will encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere,” he said.
Over its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, starvation of Palestinian civilians, and cross-border strikes like the attack on Hamas negotiators in Qatar earlier this month, Israel is receiving a torrent of global condemnation and growing isolation. Canada has previously participated in UN walkouts. Canada’s foreign minister was a part of a 40-country walkout in Geneva in March 2022, just days into Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed two UN sessions.
Netanyahu faces walkouts during UN speech, Canada not among them
