UN General Assembly Disrupted as Delegates Walk out During Netanyahu’s Speech
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The 80th General Session of the United Nations (UN) was marked by protests when dozens of delegates from various countries walked out as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to deliver his speech on Friday (9/26/2025).
This walkout action is not the first by a delegation at the UN General Assembly, but Friday’s event was a significant rebuke to Israel and its allies.
The walkout reflects the increasing international isolation of Israel amid allegations of war crimes and global pressure to end conflicts in Gaza.
The view in the United Nations main courtroom showed dozens of empty seats when Netanyahu began his speech. The diplomats who left represented member countries of the Islamic Cooperation Organization (OKI), the Arab League, and the non-aligned movement.
Delegations from Indonesia, Pakistan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Iran, and Cuba were among those who carried out the protest, coordinated as a rejection of Israeli policy and in solidarity with Palestine.
This action culminated tensions built during the UN General Assembly. Diplomats stated that the presence of Netanyahu,who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of humanitarian crime,was unacceptable.
the protest symbolically rejected the narration delivered by Netanyahu and highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to Israeli military aggression.
In his speech, Netanyahu challenged international criticism and defended his country’s actions as self-defense, condemning countries he accused of supporting terrorism by encouraging the formation of a Palestinian state.
Walk Out as the Loudest Protest
When situations escalate, the most extreme protest method at the UN General Assembly is to walk out of the room.
Cuba’s delegation did so in 2006 when George W. Bush called Fidel Castro a “cruel dictator” and encouraged freedom in Cuba.
In 1987, Nicaraguan President Daniel ortega’s verbal attack against the United States prompted the US ambassador, Vernon A. Walters, to leave the general courtroom.Perhaps the most controversial figure in recent years is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who triggered walkouts by the US and several othre delegates in 2009-2012.
[Image: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to make a speech before the 80th United Nations General assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York city, USA, 26 September 2025. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)]
Walk-Out at the UN: Remembering Ahmadinejad’s controversial 2012 speech
During the 2012 United Nations general Assembly, iranian President mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked widespread outrage and a significant walk-out by numerous delegations. His remarks,deemed offensive and provocative,centered on questioning the established historical narrative of the Holocaust and drawing parallels with the events of September 11.
Ahmadinejad stated, “the holocaust and the September 11 event with military sanctions and actions,” Ahmadinejad said at the time.
 Photo: ReutersWalk Out Action When President Ahmadinejad was nominated at the UN General Assembly in 2012 |
 Photo: ReutersWalk Out Action When President Ahmadinejad was nominated at the UN General Assembly in 2012 |
 Photo: ReutersWalk Out Action When President Ahmadinejad was nominated at the UN General Assembly |