Gremlins or sabotage? UN speeches on Palestine see microphone failures
What's the story
A series of technical glitches at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) left world leaders unheard as they spoke on Gaza and Palestinian statehood. The microphone failures disrupted speeches by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto. UN officials later clarified that the glitches were due to equipment malfunctions in the General Assembly hall, emphasizing there was "no indication" of deliberate interference.
Speech disruptions
Erdogan, Prabowo's speeches cut off
On Tuesday, President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia was detailing plans to send peacekeepers to Gaza when his microphone cut out. This left the interpreter unable to continue until the audio returned seconds later. Earlier, Turkish President Erdogan was denouncing what he termed Israel's "genocide in Gaza" and calling for immediate recognition of Palestine when his audio failed too. Delegates heard an interpreter saying, "Cannot hear the President, his voice is gone," before sound returned shortly after.
Mic malfunction
Canadian PM Carney's mic dead during Palestine recognition
The most dramatic disruption occurred when Canadian PM Mark Carney officially recognized the State of Palestine. His announcement, "In this context, Canada recognizes the state of Palestine," was met with applause from delegates. However, moments later, his microphone went dead completely, raising eyebrows over the timing of the glitch. One delegate quipped afterward that "the recognition was heard loud and clear, even if the microphone was not."
Recognition progress
France, Belgium, Malta among nations recognizing Palestine
The UNGA session was dominated by calls for Palestinian recognition and action on Gaza. France, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, and Canada have recognized Palestine. President Emmanuel Macron announced that "today, France recognizes the state of Palestine." Despite Israel's rejection of this move and US opposition over fears it could be a "reward to Hamas," around 150 nations now support recognition. Britain, France, and Canada have changed their positions recently, while Japan is expected to follow suit soon.