At the UN’s Geneva summit, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana’s fiery rebuke of Palestinian state recognition and exposure of Iranian hate rhetoric triggered a dramatic walkout by Iran, Yemen, and the Palestinian Authority.
In a dramatic diplomatic clash at the Global Parliamentary Summit in Geneva on Wednesday, Iranian, Yemeni, and Palestinian Authority delegates stormed out as Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana took the podium. The summit, hosted at the United Nations by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), saw tensions erupt when Ohana torched the idea of Western recognition of a Palestinian state.
“Rewarding Hamas with statehood will not bring peace—it will bring more Jewish blood,” Ohana declared. “If you want your so-called Palestinian state, build it in London, Paris, or your own countries—which are already beginning to resemble the Middle East.”
Ohana then pulled out an iPad and stunned the assembly by screening footage from Iran’s own Parliament showing lawmakers chanting “Death to Israel, death to America” during a session in June.
“This is not a terrorist cell in hiding—this is the official legislature of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a full member of this forum, calling for the annihilation of two sovereign nations,” he said. “Too many remain silent in the face of such rhetoric—just as they did eighty years ago.”
The Israeli Speaker also torched Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf for brandishing a New York Times photo of what he claimed was a starving Gaza child. Ohana hit back:
“This is a lie. The child suffers from cerebral palsy—even the New York Times admitted it. But Ghalibaf will peddle any blood libel offered by the fake news media. Shame on that newspaper. Shame on that chairman. Shame on both of you!”
Speaking with defiance, Ohana declared:
“We have learned from our history the cost of ignoring threats of annihilation. Since October 7th, Israel has risen from the depths to control Iranian skies. Khamenei now knows the price of threatening Israel.”
Addressing the 50 hostages still held by Hamas, Ohana’s voice grew heavy:
“They are starving, tortured, terrified, and alone in Gaza’s dark tunnels. Not one Gazan has lifted a finger to help. We will bring them back.” Moments later, his microphone volume was mysteriously lowered.
Earlier in the day, Ohana met with Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi of the UAE and held high-level talks with parliamentary leaders from Chile, Brazil, Belgium, and planned meetings with Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the UK, Slovakia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Nepal, and Congo.
The IPU, representing 193 parliaments—including Iran and multiple Arab states—had rarely seen such open confrontation within its walls.
