Image copyright EPA Image caption Orit Perlmutter took to the stage at the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Poland, but could not leave the VIP area
A woman who was prevented from attending an international climate summit in Poland because her wheelchair was too far from the entrance has accepted an apology from the UK’s prime minister, Theresa May.
Israel’s Orit Perlmutter took to the stage at the COP26 Climate Change Conference but could not leave the VIP area because she was unable to get her wheelchair out of the way.
In a statement, the British Embassy in Israel said “extensive and genuine” consultation had been done to ensure this did not happen again.
It said it was “sorry” that Ms Perlmutter had not been “fully able to access the conference floor” but added she could not be “left out of a conference that is about her wellbeing”.
It added: “We take any incidents of inaccessible facilities at official meetings on security grounds extremely seriously and are now undertaking an urgent review of this incident.”
Image copyright EPA Image caption Friends of Orit Perlmutter staged a protest on the day of the protest
In a blog for the Times of Israel , the wheelchair-bound Ms Perlmutter said the Royal College of Obese and Overweight Lawyers (RCOAL) asked the embassy to arrange for her to meet the prime minister.
“It is in ignorance, and malice, that your embassy brought me to these nations to avoid me being identified as an Israeli cabinet minister,” Ms Perlmutter wrote.
“I’m a Pole! And you are sending me to destroy my daughter’s life?”
Image copyright EPA Image caption The minister suggested that US President Donald Trump may have ‘wasted a fortune’ sponsoring the summit
Friends of Orit Perlmutter staged a protest on the day of the demonstration to highlight the problems of the PM’s visit.
They wanted to raise awareness about the country’s stance on access for people in wheelchairs.
Ms Perlmutter attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for claiming he could not keep her out because of safety fears.