Delegates walk out as Israeli president addresses summit
News Source
β’Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:14:00 +0000
π° What Happened
Officials from more than ten countries walked out of a summit in Azerbaijan while Israeli President Isaac Herzog was speaking. Delegations from Turkey, Pakistan, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among those reported to have left the hall. The event was a meeting of CICA, a group of Asian and Middle Eastern nations.
π The Backstory
Many countries in the region strongly oppose Israel's actions in Gaza, where the war that began in 2023 has caused a very large civilian death toll. Walking out of a speech is a common and low-cost way for governments to protest at international gatherings. CICA is meant to encourage dialogue across Asia, so the split was clearly visible to everyone in the room.
π― Why It Matters
The walkout shows how isolated Israel has become among many governments in its own region, and how strongly they oppose its actions in Gaza. It also shows how Middle East tensions now spill over into meetings that are supposed to be about cooperation. That makes even routine diplomacy harder to carry out.
Officials from more than ten countries walked out of a summit in Azerbaijan while Israeli President Isaac Herzog was speaking. Delegations from Turkey, Pakistan, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among those reported to have left the hall. The event was a meeting of CICA, a group of Asian and Middle Eastern nations.
Many countries in the region strongly oppose Israel's actions in Gaza, where the war that began in 2023 has caused a very large civilian death toll. Walking out of a speech is a common and low-cost way for governments to protest at international gatherings. CICA is meant to encourage dialogue across Asia, so the split was clearly visible to everyone in the room.
The walkout shows how isolated Israel has become among many governments in its own region, and how strongly they oppose its actions in Gaza. It also shows how Middle East tensions now spill over into meetings that are supposed to be about cooperation. That makes even routine diplomacy harder to carry out.