Israel’s energy minister Karine Elharrar was unable to participate in the first full day of the United Nation's COP26 summit in Glasgow on Monday because the venue was not accessible by wheelchair.
Ms Elharrar, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, told Israel’s Channel 12 she was taken to several entrances but could not gain access to the conference grounds.
There were only two ways of accessing the venue - walking or boarding the shuttle transport - none of which were suited for a wheelchair.
“I came to COP26 to meet my world counterparts and to advance a common battle against climate change,” Ms Elharrar wrote on Twitter.
“It is sad that the UN that advances accessibility to people with disabilities, in the year 2021, does not ensure accessibility to its events.
"At the end of this day I would like to thank the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely who did everything to solve the problem in real time and made sure there was someone to apologise in retrospect."
Israel's foreign affairs minister Yair Lapid also slammed COP26 organisers on Twitter: "It is impossible to safeguard our future and address the climate crisis, without first and foremost caring for people, including ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities.”
Her office told the Times of Israel that Ms Elharrar had waited outside the summit venue for two hours, before eventually returning to her hotel in Edinburgh.
The UK ambassador to Israel Neil Wigan apologised to Ms Elharrar on Twitter: “I am disturbed that [Elharrar] was unable to attend meetings at #COP26. I apologise deeply and sincerely to the Minister. We want a COP summit that is welcoming and inclusive to everyone.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the incident “unacceptable”, according to The Times of Israel, and assured Ms Elharrar she would arrive at the summit area on the second day of the conference as part of the prime minister’s official convoy.
