Dozens of international diplomats walked out of the United Nations General Assembly hall on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium, prompting the Israeli leader to label the departing envoys “moral cowards.”
Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly Amid Mass Walkouts
As Benjamin Netanyahu approached the rostrum for his address during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, a mixture of cheers, boos, and mass walkouts erupted across the chamber. General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman repeatedly called for order as scores of delegates left their desks, leaving a majority of seats empty.
“In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,” Netanyahu told the remaining audience, adding that many world leaders privately thank Israel for taking out Iran’s nukes. Addressing those who departed, he stated, “If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left the hall, please do so now.”
Visual Aids and References to Regional Conflict
Known for utilizing visual aids during his UN speeches, Netanyahu held up a pager at one point during his address. He reminded the assembly of the September 17, 2024, operation in which thousands of communication devices distributed to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon were remotely detonated. That attack killed 12 people, including two children, and wounded more than 3,000 others.
Netanyahu also referenced the October 7, 2023, attack led by Hamas militants, which killed about 1,200 people. He equated that death toll as equivalent to 40,000 Americans killed in under 24 hours, or 16 times the casualties of the September 11 attacks. Expressing gratitude to US President Donald Trump for decisive actions against Iran, Netanyahu insisted that Israel would prevail because it has no other choice.
Palestinian Leadership Responds from Ramallah
Ahead of the speech, the Palestinian Mission to the UN urged member nations to stage a collective walkout to signal opposition to what it termed genocide, war crimes and illegal occupation—allegations that the Israeli government consistently rejects. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas subsequently addressed the General Assembly via pre-recorded remarks from his office in Ramallah. The 90-year-old leader delivered his speech after the United States denied visas to him and other top Palestinian officials for the second year in a row.
“We will not leave our homeland. We will not accept displacement. And we will not allow anyone to decide our future on our behalf,” Abbas stated, while criticizing the international community for remaining silent and continuing to supply weapons used against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Growing Diplomatic Isolation
The confrontation at the General Assembly unfolded amid mounting international scrutiny over Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon. According to the territory’s health ministry, more than 73,920 people have been killed in Gaza following the October 7 escalation that included the taking of 251 hostages. While a UN commission of inquiry has previously accused Israel of committing genocide, the Israeli government strongly rejects all such allegations.
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