Israel’s permanent representative to the UN was expelled from the UN General Assembly on Tuesday after he interrupted Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi’s speech. Gilad Erdan held a banner bearing the image of Mahsa Amini with the words "Iranian Women Deserve Freedom Now" as he walked around the assembly as Raisi addressed diplomats from the podium. The Israeli ambassador was then swiftly removed by UN security personnel from the Assembly Hall, before being questioned and escorted from the premises. Iranian anti-government activists distanced themselves from Erdan's stunt.
Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of DAWN, called the Israeli diplomat "genuinely the worst possible advocate for human rights in Iran". Meanwhile, many pro-Palestinian advocates on Twitter highlighted Erdan's hypocrisy given Israel's poor human rights track record, and how Erdan has not said anything about Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli forces last year.
Produced by Alexander Durie
