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Dozens of delegates from countries around the world exited the United Nations General Assembly hall as soon as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium on September 24, 2026, leaving a majority of seats vacant for much of his address. The Irish Times reported that his arrival at the rostrum was met with a mix of cheers, boos and the mass departure, prompting repeated calls for order from General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman. According to coverage by Arab News, the Palestinian Mission to the UN had sent a memo urging member states to join a collective walkout in protest of Israeli policies.
The protest reflected broader international criticism of Israel’s military campaigns, which escalated after the October 2023 attacks by Hamas that killed about 1,200 people in Israel. NBC News noted that similar walkouts have become a recurring feature during Netanyahu’s past UN appearances, underscoring his growing isolation on the world stage. Just The News reported that Netanyahu currently faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged genocide in Gaza, a move both Israel and the United States have rejected as illegitimate.
Netanyahu responded directly to those leaving by inviting any remaining protesters to depart. “If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left the hall, please do so now,” he said, according to quotes compiled by The Associated Press. He added that “in defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall” and claimed that many of their leaders privately thanked Israel for striking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The prime minister told the assembly that attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” as relayed in reports from the Irish Times and Channels Television. He argued that the operation prevented a nuclear threat that could have endangered not only Israel but the wider world. Netanyahu also addressed internal Israeli matters by describing certain youths attacking Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank as “juvenile delinquents” numbering around 150 and said he would not tolerate vigilantism.
The hall had been sparsely occupied earlier in the session but filled gradually before Netanyahu’s turn, only for many to leave en masse once he began, according to video accounts distributed by multiple outlets. Protests outside the UN headquarters in New York drew crowds demanding an end to the conflict in Gaza at the same time, as referenced in Hindustan Times coverage. AP dispatches indicated that Netanyahu framed his speech in part as a defense of Israeli soldiers against what he called lies being spread at the forum.
Footage of the walkout, including a BBC video titled “Watch: UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech,” illustrated long lines of diplomats heading for the exits while Israeli representatives stood to applaud. The event comes as Netanyahu prepares for domestic elections next month, where his stance against international criticism plays a key role with voters, NBC News reported. The walkout has amplified discussions about Israel’s diplomatic standing amid ongoing regional conflicts involving Gaza, the West Bank and Iran.
