Bangladesh’s delegation staged a walkout from the United Nations General Assembly on Friday (Sept 26) as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address, joining dozens of diplomats in protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza and repeated strikes in other parts of the Middle East.

Witnesses said many representatives left the hall almost immediately after Netanyahu took the floor, forming long queues at the exits in a coordinated demonstration reminiscent of a similar protest last year.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that Bangladesh was among the countries that participated in the walkout, heeding calls from the Palestinian mission at the UN. 

Over the past week, the mission had urged world leaders to boycott Netanyahu’s speech, labelling him a “war criminal.”

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with Israel’s military actions in Gaza since October 2023.

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