The Algerian parliamentary delegation, participating in the 147th session of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) held in Angola, boycotted the speech of IPU President Duarte Pacheco.
This move comes as a protest against what is perceived as Pacheco’s apparent bias in his speech towards the Israeli occupation, and the alleged heinous crimes being committed in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, according to the Algerian News Agency.
Notably, the Algerian delegates weren’t alone in their protest. Delegations from the Arab Parliament, Palestine, Kuwait, and Iran also left the hall during the IPU president’s opening remarks.
However, the Algerian parliamentary delegation later returned to the meeting hall to listen to the speech delivered by the President of Angola, João Lourenço, the source added.
Earlier this month, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart, Hussein Amir Abdullahian.
According to a statement from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers discussed “developments in the Palestinian issue in light of the Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip.”
The two parties emphasized the urgent need for international bodies to take action to halt the aggression, provide relief to the Palestinian people, and ensure international protection for them.
They also underscored the necessity of addressing the root causes of the conflict by launching a serious political process that leads to the end of the occupation of Palestinian territories and enables the Palestinian people to exercise their rights, according to the statement.
The phone call between Algeria and Iran reflects their shared concern over the recent escalation of violence in Gaza and their commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
