Brazil’s departure before Israel’s speech was planned, says source to CNN

The Brazilian delegation left the United Nations General Assembly on Friday (26) just before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his speech. According to diplomatic sources, the departure was a planned gesture. ‘The delegation was in the assembly and left as soon as Netanyahu reached the podium. They were diplomats from the permanent UN mission,’ they told CNN. The source also reported that the move was not isolated: ‘Many delegations left,’ they said. The withdrawal is a political sign of dissatisfaction with Israel’s position on the Middle East conflict, echoing similar gestures made by other countries in previous occasions at the UN.