On Thursday, September 24, there was a walkout in front of the United Nations General Assembly when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his speech. About half of the world's delegates walked out, and the Israeli delegation and a few others applauded.
The protest came as international condemnation of Israel’s military action and the ongoing conflict in Gaza poured in. Before Netanyahu’s speech, the Palestinian Mission to the UN had been asking delegation members to join a walkout in solidarity when he was introduced.
When delegates left the General Assembly chamber, Netanyahu addressed those who remained. He provocatively announced at the beginning of his speech: “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now.” His comments drew cheers from his supporters in the crowd. Khalilur Rahman, the president of the General Assembly, repeatedly called for order as the Israeli delegation chanted “Am Yisrael Chai” (“the people of Israel live”).
Netanyahu used his platform to defend Israel’s military actions and to vehemently criticize the countries and leaders that have condemned them. “Israel is protecting itself from Iran; Israel is defending other countries too,” he said.
🚨 UNGA ERUPTS AS NETANYAHU SPEAKS 🚨
— News Matrix (@NewsMatrixIND) September 25, 2026
Delegates from several countries WALKED OUT of the UN General Assembly hall as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu began his speech.
Netanyahu’s response was absolute savage:
“Any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so… pic.twitter.com/YhNcCkYVq3
He claimed that leaders whose representatives had walked out had privately expressed gratitude to Israel for its actions against Iran. Netanyahu added that the leaders’ “private gratitude” was in stark contrast to their public condemnation, and so the disconnect between their words and actions was apparent.
Netanyahu also dismissed accusations of genocide on Israel’s part in Gaza, saying that accusations of genocide against Israel are unfounded. He defended Israel’s military campaign and steadfastly denied genocide and war crimes.
The walkout was one of the most striking moments in Netanyahu’s appearance at the 81st UN General Assembly. There was tension in the room, and many empty seats were visible, but there were still some supporters of the Israeli leader.
This incident exposes the deep divide at the United Nations about the Israeli military and the Gaza conflict and the continuing chaos on the ground in the Middle East. Netanyahu’s speech occurred at a time of increasing international pressure on the war in the General Assembly (see section 4).
The dramatic events in New York quickly attracted worldwide attention, especially Netanyahu’s strong response to the departing delegates as he called them “moral cowards,” which was one of the most widely reported moments of his address.
