Hundreds of officials leave chamber in dramatic protest as Israeli Prime Minister claims private support whilst denouncing nations recognising Palestinian state
Scores of diplomats walked out of the United Nations General Assembly today in an unprecedented display of global dissent as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to defend his nation’s military campaigns across the Middle East. The mass exodus left swathes of empty seats in the chamber, forcing the presiding official to repeatedly bang his gavel and call for “order in the hall” as Netanyahu began his controversial address.
The dramatic protest came as Netanyahu defended Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, which have killed over 65,000 Palestinians according to Gaza health officials, and the escalating conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Delegations from Arab and Muslim-majority nations led the walkout, with the Iranian delegation amongst the first to leave, creating visible queues at the exits as diplomats hastily departed the great hall.
The Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN had actively encouraged world leaders to participate in the walkout, sending letters describing Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and urging delegations to bring “as many mission staff as possible” to amplify the visual impact of the protest.
Broadcasting to Gaza
In an extraordinary revelation, Netanyahu told the assembly that Israeli forces were broadcasting his speech directly to Palestinians in Gaza through loudspeakers mounted on trucks positioned along the Israeli side of the border. Speaking first in Hebrew and then in English, he directed a message to the hostages still held in the Hamas-controlled territory.
“We will not rest until the remaining hostages are brought home,” Netanyahu declared to the depleted chamber, whilst US delegation members applauded and stood in support. The Brazilian delegation remained seated, wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyehs in a visible show of solidarity.
The Israeli Prime Minister used his platform to “denounce” the leaders of countries that have recognised a Palestinian state, a list that has grown significantly in recent months to include France, Spain, and most recently Australia. This diplomatic shift has isolated Israel further on the international stage, though Netanyahu claimed that many world leaders who publicly condemn Israel’s actions have “privately sided” with him.
October 7 Anniversary Approaches
Netanyahu reminded the assembly of Hamas’s attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people in what he described as the deadliest assault in Israel’s history. The attacks saw the death toll reach 31 times that of the next most fatal attack in 1978, with Hamas militants killing 815 civilians and taking 251 hostages.
“Israel seeks peace. Israel yearns for peace,” Netanyahu stated, despite the ongoing military campaigns. “Yet we face savage enemies who seek to destroy our common civilisation.”
The Prime Minister’s comments drew sharp criticism from James Zogby, co-founder of the Arab American Institute, who said: “Words spoken by the man who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. This is a disgrace. Abusing the General Assembly platform to lie and incite.”
Military Claims and Threats
Netanyahu used his address to make sweeping claims about Israel’s military achievements, stating that Israel had “devastated” Iran’s atomic weapons and ballistic missile programme. He claimed Israeli forces had “hammered” the Houthis in Yemen, “crushed the bulk of Hamas” and “crippled” Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran: if you strike us, we will strike you,” Netanyahu warned. There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach and that’s true of the entire Middle East.
These threats came as Israeli fighter jets conducted some of the most intense bombardments of Beirut’s southern suburbs since the 2006 war, just hours after Netanyahu’s speech concluded. Videos showed at least four flattened residential buildings in the densely populated Dahiyeh area.
International Condemnation
The walkout highlighted deep fractures within the United Nations over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and Lebanon. Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob, speaking before Netanyahu, had demanded: “Mr Netanyahu, stop this war now.” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for “an immediate end to this bloodshed.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations described the mass walkout as demonstrating “the international community’s rejection of genocide.” National Executive Director Nihad Awad stated that US President Joe Biden “should take note of our government’s growing isolation on the international stage.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice led by South Africa, whilst the International Criminal Court prosecutor has sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The speech comes amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 65,500 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, including at least 19,424 children. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has confirmed famine conditions in Gaza City, with 100% of the population experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity.
Seven Palestinians died from malnutrition-related causes in the 24 hours before Netanyahu’s speech, raising the starvation death toll to 420, including 145 children. More than 100,000 have been injured in the conflict, with Gaza having the highest number of amputated children per capita in the world.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon had earlier dismissed the planned walkout as “cheap stunts designed to distract from the truth,” claiming Palestinians were filling the hall with junior staff to create “a misleading and staged image of mass departure.”
Regional Escalation
Netanyahu’s defiant stance suggests further escalation is likely across the region. “We’ll continue degrading Hezbollah until all our objectives are made,” he told the assembly, despite international calls for de-escalation.
The Prime Minister also called for tougher action on Iran’s nuclear programme, including a return of UN sanctions lifted in 2015 under the nuclear deal with major world powers. His speech indicated no immediate prospect for peace, declaring: “Israel has been tolerating this intolerable situation for nearly a year. Well, I’ve come here today to say enough is enough.”
As diplomats filed back into the chamber following Netanyahu’s departure, the visual of empty seats during his address sent a powerful message about Israel’s increasing isolation on the world stage. The mass walkout, unprecedented in its scale at the UN General Assembly, reflects growing international frustration with the ongoing conflict and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
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