Delegate walkout, protests greet Netanyahu as he addresses UN General Assembly

Dozens of delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly hall in New York on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the 81st session of the General Debate. At the same time, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside UN headquarters to protest against Israeli policy in the Gaza conflict. The events unfolded amid growing international criticism of Israel and placed Netanyahu once again at the center of diplomatic tension, even as he prepares for an election in Israel scheduled for October 27.

Multiple reports, including from Dawn, CGTN and Middle East Eye, consistently describe delegations from numerous countries leaving the hall either shortly before or immediately after Netanyahu began speaking. According to MercoPress, the delegations in question had already emptied the chamber before Netanyahu started his address. Photos and video footage, including images credited to Getty Images/AFP and cited by Middle East Eye, show Netanyahu waving toward departing delegates as they left the hall.

Netanyahu responded to the walkout with sharp criticism of his own. According to Premium Times, he described the delegates who left as “moral cowards.” In his speech, he also firmly rejected accusations of genocide against Israel over the war in Gaza, calling them, as reported by MercoPress, “the biggest lie of the century.” In addition, Punch Nigeria reported that Netanyahu defended Israel’s military action against Iranian nuclear facilities, a topic that also contributed to the criticism prompting several delegations to leave.

Not all countries joined the protest. A report by AllAfrica notes that Malawi’s delegation, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation George Chaponda, remained in the chamber for the entirety of Netanyahu’s address even as delegations from a number of other countries walked out. This indicates that the international response to the speech was not uniform but varied from country to country.

Netanyahu’s appearance took place against the backdrop of several ongoing conflicts. The Guardian reports that Israel is currently engaged in three separate conflicts — in Gaza, Lebanon and against Iran — while also facing a rising wave of violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Against this backdrop, the upcoming election in Israel is described as one of the toughest political challenges of Netanyahu’s long political career.

The wars in the Middle East also dominated the fourth day of the General Assembly more broadly. According to Middle East Eye, Somali President Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said his country was “suffering” as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which he said had driven up energy and food prices. The same report notes that the president of the European Council said the EU supports efforts to find a solution to the conflict, while also stressing that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be preserved without conditions or hindrance.

Following his speech, Netanyahu met with several world leaders, according to Middle East Eye, but departed for Israel the same day he had arrived in New York. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reportedly said the shortened visit was likely due to security concerns. Hundreds of demonstrators had already taken up positions around UN headquarters before Netanyahu’s arrival, and protests continued outside while he spoke inside the building.

It remains unclear exactly how many delegations took part in the walkout, as reports vary in describing the numbers involved, ranging from “dozens” to “scores” of delegates, without an official count from the United Nations. It is also uncertain what longer-term diplomatic or political consequences the incident may have, both for Netanyahu’s international standing and for the upcoming election campaign in Israel.