RismadarVoice Reporters
September 24, 2026
Dozens of diplomats walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to defend Israel’s military actions and reject mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza.
The protest left large sections of the hall empty, while Netanyahu’s supporters applauded and chanted from the gallery, prompting repeated calls for order from the presiding officer.
Responding to the walkout, Netanyahu described the departing delegates as “moral cowards” and invited others who shared their position to leave the hall.
The Israeli leader used his address to defend his government’s conduct in Gaza and elsewhere in the region, presenting Israel’s military campaigns as necessary to protect the country from security threats.
Netanyahu revisited the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, and argued that Israel’s subsequent military operations were directed at eliminating threats posed by Hamas and other armed groups.
He also defended Israel’s military actions against Iran and thanked US President Donald Trump for his support, portraying cooperation between Washington and Israel as central to confronting regional threats.
A major part of Netanyahu’s address was devoted to rejecting allegations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza. He called the accusation false and maintained that Israel had taken measures to protect civilians. Israel has consistently rejected allegations of genocide and war crimes.
The war has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities, while Israel maintains that its military operations target Hamas and other armed groups.
Netanyahu also directed criticism at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has strongly criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza and previously described the Israeli leader as a war criminal.
Netanyahu accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and rejected the mayor’s criticisms, telling him that he could not silence Israel’s position. Mamdani has denied supporting Hamas.
The Israeli prime minister also criticised Qatar and Turkey, accusing both countries of contributing to what he described as misinformation about Israel.
During the address, Netanyahu used visual props, including a pager, as he discussed Israel’s regional military operations. Reports also said a Starlink terminal featured in the presentation.
Netanyahu’s appearance came amid protests outside the UN headquarters in New York and growing diplomatic divisions over Israel’s conduct of the Gaza war.
His visit to New York was expected to be brief, with no meeting scheduled with Trump or other senior US officials before his return to Israel.
The walkout underscored the divisions surrounding Israel at the 81st UN General Assembly, where the Gaza conflict and its humanitarian consequences have featured prominently in speeches and diplomatic engagements.
