Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a wave of protests during his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, as dozens of delegates walked out in condemnation of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon. The walkouts, a longstanding diplomatic tradition at the UN, signaled widespread opposition to Israel’s policies, with delegates accusing the country of perpetuating a humanitarian crisis and violating ceasefire agreements. Netanyahu, addressing the assembly amid heightened global scrutiny, defended Israel’s actions in the Middle East, stating, “We’re going to win. We have no other choice.” He accused delegates who left the hall of being “moral cowards” and urged those remaining to “please do so now.” The Israeli leader’s speech came amid ongoing international criticism of his government’s handling of the Gaza conflict, including allegations of genocide and the interception of humanitarian aid. The protests followed reports that Israel has repeatedly violated truce terms in Gaza and Lebanon, including the interception of a humanitarian flotilla in May 2025, which sought to deliver essential supplies to the Gaza Strip. Delegates cited these actions as justification for their exit, with some describing Israel’s campaign as “genocidal.” Netanyahu, however, rejected accusations of genocide, calling them the “biggest lie of the century.” The walkouts echoed similar protests in 2024 and 2025, when delegates left the UN General Assembly in response to Israel’s military operations. Netanyahu, who is facing a tight re-election race in Israel, argued that his defense of the country’s security also protects other nations whose representatives had left the hall. He referenced the 2023 Hamas attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people, as a justification for Israel’s actions. The Israeli leader also criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of supporting Hamas, and targeted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously vowed to arrest Netanyahu over his role in the Gaza flotilla incident. Netanyahu claimed that Jewish communities in New York now feel unsafe under Mamdani’s leadership, a claim the mayor dismissed as a “baseless lie.” The UNGA session underscored deepening divisions over Israel’s policies, with delegates from multiple countries expressing solidarity with Palestinian civilians. The protests highlighted the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict, as well as the challenges of balancing national security with international humanitarian law. Analysts noted that Netanyahu’s speech risked further isolating Israel on the global stage, particularly as calls for accountability grow louder. The incident also reignited debates over the role of the UN in addressing conflicts and enforcing international norms. While Netanyahu framed his remarks as a defense of Israel’s right to self-preservation, critics argued that the walkouts reflected a broader consensus on the need for accountability and a cessation of hostilities. The event underscored the complexities of multilateral diplomacy in an era of escalating global tensions.
Delegates Exit UNGA as Netanyahu Faces Protests Over Gaza Campaign
The protests followed reports that Israel has repeatedly violated truce terms in Gaza and Lebanon, including the interception of a humanitarian flotilla in May 2025, which sought to deliver essential supplies to the Gaza Strip. Delegates cited these actions as justification for their exit, with some describing Israel’s campaign as “genocidal.” Netanyahu, however, rejected accusations of genocide, calling them the “biggest lie of the century.”
The walkouts echoed similar protests in 2024 and 2025, when delegates left the UN General Assembly in response to Israel’s military operations.
The Israeli leader also criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of supporting Hamas, and targeted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously vowed to arrest Netanyahu over his role in the Gaza flotilla incident. Netanyahu claimed that Jewish communities in New York now feel unsafe under Mamdani’s leadership, a claim the mayor dismissed as a “baseless lie.”
The UNGA session underscored deepening divisions over Israel’s policies, with delegates from multiple countries expressing solidarity with Palestinian civilians. The protests highlighted the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict, as well as the challenges of balancing national security with international humanitarian law. Analysts noted that Netanyahu’s speech risked further isolating Israel on the global stage, particularly as calls for accountability grow louder.
The incident also reignited debates over the role of the UN in addressing conflicts and enforcing international norms. While Netanyahu framed his remarks as a defense of Israel’s right to self-preservation, critics argued that the walkouts reflected a broader consensus on the need for accountability and a cessation of hostilities. The event underscored the complexities of multilateral diplomacy in an era of escalating global tensions.
The walkouts, a longstanding diplomatic tradition at the UN, signaled widespread opposition to Israel’s policies, with delegates accusing the country of perpetuating a humanitarian crisis and violating ceasefire agreements.
Netanyahu, addressing the assembly amid heightened global scrutiny, defended Israel’s actions in the Middle East, stating, “We’re going to win. We have no other choice.” He accused delegates who left the hall of being “moral cowards” and urged those remaining to “please do so now.” The Israeli leader’s speech came amid ongoing international criticism of his government’s handling of the Gaza conflict, including allegations of genocide and the interception of humanitarian aid.
The Israeli leader also criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of supporting Hamas, and targeted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously vowed to arrest Netanyahu over his role in the Gaza flotilla incident. Netanyahu claimed that Jewish communities in New York now feel unsafe under Mamdani’s leadership, a claim the mayor dismissed as a “baseless lie.”
The UNGA session underscored deepening divisions over Israel’s policies, with delegates from multiple countries expressing solidarity with Palestinian civilians. The protests highlighted the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict, as well as the challenges of balancing national security with international humanitarian law. Analysts noted that Netanyahu’s speech risked further isolating Israel on the global stage, particularly as calls for accountability grow louder.
The incident also reignited debates over the role of the UN in addressing conflicts and enforcing international norms. While Netanyahu framed his remarks as a defense of Israel’s right to self-preservation, critics argued that the walkouts reflected a broader consensus on the need for accountability and a cessation of hostilities. The event underscored the complexities of multilateral diplomacy in an era of escalating global tensions.
The walkouts, a longstanding diplomatic tradition at the UN, signaled widespread opposition to Israel’s policies, with delegates accusing the country of perpetuating a humanitarian crisis and violating ceasefire agreements.
Netanyahu, addressing the assembly amid heightened global scrutiny, defended Israel’s actions in the Middle East, stating, “We’re going to win. We have no other choice.” He accused delegates who left the hall of being “moral cowards” and urged those remaining to “please do so now.” The Israeli leader’s speech came amid ongoing international criticism of his government’s handling of the Gaza conflict, including allegations of genocide and the interception of humanitarian aid.
The protests followed reports that Israel has repeatedly violated truce terms in Gaza and Lebanon, including the interception of a humanitarian flotilla in May 2025, which sought to deliver essential supplies to the Gaza Strip. Delegates cited these actions as justification for their exit, with some describing Israel’s campaign as “genocidal.” Netanyahu, however, rejected accusations of genocide, calling them the “biggest lie of the century.”
The walkouts echoed similar protests in 2024 and 2025, when delegates left the UN General Assembly in response to Israel’s military operations.