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Indonesia walks out of UN general assembly in protest of Israeli speech

JAKARTA (ANN/JAKARTA POST) – Indonesian delegates, along with representatives from other countries, staged a walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), amidst widespread international condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

At the UN headquarters in New York, Indonesian diplomats, along with those from other Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, exited the debate hall shortly before Netanyahu addressed the assembly on Friday night, leaving the room notably half-empty when he began speaking.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat informed The Jakarta Post on Sunday that Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had instructed the Indonesian diplomats to leave on her behalf, as she was engaged in another meeting at the UN.

United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, USA. PHOTO: ANN/JAKARTA POST

As Netanyahu spoke about Israel’s right to retaliate and its plans to “continue degrading Hezbollah,” referring to the escalating conflict with the Iran-backed military group in Lebanon, some remaining delegates in the hall applauded his remarks.

This marked the second occasion this year that Indonesia walked out of a UN meeting regarding Palestine. In January, Retno led an Indonesian delegation out of a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting just as the then-Israeli permanent representative began their speech.

On Saturday, Retno addressed the UN, calling for an end to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. She urged countries that have yet to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state to do so promptly.

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