Delegations Walk Out on Herzog Speech in Baku as Qatar's Emir Stays
Representatives from several nations walked out during Israeli President Isaac Herzog's speech at a Baku summit, while Qatar's Emir remained in his seat.
During President Isaac Herzog's address at an Asian cooperation summit in Baku, representatives from Iran, Turkey, Kuwait, Pakistan, and the Palestinian Authority walked out of the hall. Notably, the Emir of Qatar remained in his seat and listened to the speech.
The summit focuses on regional security, confidence building, and cooperation. It features delegations from Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, marking a rare diplomatic gathering amid ongoing Middle Eastern tensions.
Ahead of the address, Middle East Eye reported that Herzog traveled to Azerbaijan on a commercial Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flight that crossed Turkish airspace. Flightradar24 data confirmed Flight J222 from Ben Gurion Airport to Baku used a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
While Turkey banned Israeli state aircraft from its airspace in 2024, commercial flights remain exempt. This allowed Herzog to reach his destination via a direct route rather than taking a longer detour over Greece, Bulgaria, and the Black Sea.
