Dozens of delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address on Thursday, leaving large sections of the chamber empty.
The walkout came during Netanyahu’s speech at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where he defended Israel’s military actions and criticised several of the country’s opponents and international critics.
Netanyahu responded to the departing delegates by accusing them of abandoning the hall rather than listening to his position.
“If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left this hall, please do so now,” he said.
The Israeli prime minister used the address to defend his government’s actions in Gaza and its military campaign against Iran, while also attacking leaders and governments he accused of opposing Israel.
He criticised Iran’s leadership, describing it as a “murderous dictatorship”, and said Israel’s military action had prevented Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu also said he believed Iran’s current leadership would eventually fall.
“The power of the people will overcome the people in power,” he said.
Netanyahu attacks critics and allies
The Israeli leader also turned his attention to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of antisemitism and claiming that some Jewish residents no longer felt safe in the city since Mamdani’s election.
Mamdani rejected Netanyahu’s remarks, accusing the Israeli prime minister of using his UN speech to defend Israel’s actions in Gaza. He also pointed to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu, which alleges war crimes and crimes against humanity. Netanyahu rejects the allegations.
Netanyahu also criticised Britain and France, two countries that have become increasingly critical of Israel’s actions and have taken measures relating to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
He questioned their criticism of Israel’s policies, referring to the colonial histories of both countries.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also targeted during the speech, with Netanyahu accusing Turkey of supporting Hamas and describing Erdogan as a “tyrant”. Turkish officials rejected the remarks as baseless accusations.
Abbas absent from UN gathering
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was unable to attend the UN General Assembly after the United States denied him a visa.
In a video message played ahead of Netanyahu’s address, Abbas criticised the decision.
“We reject these unlawful punitive measures, and we reject the accusations and justifications on which they were based,” he said.
The Palestinian delegation had urged countries to walk out when Netanyahu took the podium.
Protests also took place outside the UN headquarters in New York, with demonstrators criticising Israel’s military campaign. Several people were detained during the demonstrations.
During his address, Netanyahu also displayed a pager similar to devices associated with an Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon.
His appearance at the UN came weeks before Israel’s October 27 election, with Netanyahu facing a domestic political contest while defending his government’s military policies before an international audience.
Source: AFP
