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Netanyahu defends Israeli military action as delegates walk out before UN speech
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fiercely defended his country's military campaigns in Iran, Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East in a speech to the UN General Assembly.
After dozens of delegates walked out in protest as he took to the stage, Netanyahu vowed to continue fighting: "We're going to win. We have no other choice."
In response to the walkout, he said: "If there are any other moral cowards who haven't left the hall, please do so now."
The Israeli leader also rejected accusations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
Hours earlier, in a recorded message Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN that Israeli policies - in particular the illegal expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank - threatened "the very life and existence of the Palestinian people on their homeland".
He also said it jeopardised the two-state solution, which is an internationally backed formula for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Abbas said that Palestinians were being subjected to "killing, destruction, starvation and attempts at displacement, as well as a genocidal war" in Gaza by the Israeli military.
The Palestinian leader was addressing the annual gathering via a video link because he had been denied a US entry visa.
Netanyahu, who is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, launched scathing attacks on nations and leaders who have criticised him.
"They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism - some colonialism. And who's accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God's sake, they invented the term," he said.
Netanyahu also accused the media of misrepresenting violence by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank and said "maybe two or three" people are killed a year.
But, according to figures published by the UN, 23 Palestinians have been killed in the context of settler attacks this year - and 72 since the beginning of 2023.
Netanyahu went on to label Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant", accusing him of supporting the Palestinian armed group Hamas.
Erdogan told the UN on Tuesday that the injustices faced by those in Gaza and the West Bank "deeply offends the conscience of humanity".
Netanyahu's comments drew a sharp response from the Turkish presidency's communications director Burhanettin Duran.
The Israeli PM's use of the UN General Assembly podium to level "baseless accusations" against Turkey and Erdogan was incompatible with the UN's "ideals of peace, law and dialogue", Duran said, according to state-run news agency Anadolu.
New York City's left-wing mayor Zohran Mamdani - who had previously vowed to arrest Netanyahu but later said he did not have the authority to do so - was also criticised by the Israeli leader.
"Since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York," the Israeli prime minister said.
In a statement, Mamdani's office said Netanyahu "used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians".
Netanyahu also thanked US President Donald Trump for his "bold leadership", referring to the air strikes the US and Israel jointly launched against Tehran in February.
"Israel and America acted together not only to protect ourselves, but to save civilisation," he said.
Election campaign looms
Much of Netanyahu's speech was pitched at the two audiences he needs to convince the most: Israelis as he faces a critical election at home next month, and Americans as Israel faces growing isolation and fractures in support abroad.
In Israel, Netanyahu's once unrivalled image as "Mr Security" has come under increasing scrutiny in what is the first election since the 7 October 2023 attacks.
Some political opponents have argued he is unfit for office following Israeli media reports, firmly denied by Netanyahu, that he did not heed warnings of a potential attack by Hamas.
His characteristic defiance at the UN podium will be replayed in a campaign seeing his religious-right wing coalition trailing in the polls.
Netanyahu appeared to have pre-scripted his comments about "moral cowards" as he faced a mass walkout.
It will likely be used as he tries once again to burnish an image as being the only Israeli politician that can truly take on Israel's growing number of global critics.
There were also clearly marked references meant for American audiences, including the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and his praise for Trump.
Netanyahu, who was born in Israel but spent his formative years in Pennsylvania, has always tried to present himself as having a unique ability to pitch Israel's case in the US.
Despite continued weapons supply from Washington, he faces an increasingly sceptical public.
Polls suggest plummeting support for Israel among Democrats, and a fracture in historically high levels of backing among Republicans which has spread to Trump's Maga base.
Celebrity protesters held
A number of people protesting against Netanyahu's visit were detained in New York City.
Among them were the Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and Emmy-winning Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder.
Also detained were Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and New York City council member Chi Osse.
A spokesperson for the NYPD said officers had responded to reports of an "unscheduled demonstration" where protesters were blocking a junction.
The Israeli military launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack against Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostages.
During the Israeli military campaign more than 73,920 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
A resolution passed by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) stated that Israel's conduct meets the legal definition as laid out in the UN convention on genocide.
Israel has regularly denied its actions in Gaza amount to genocide and says they are justified as a means of self-defence.
On 28 February, Israel and the US started launching massive air strikes on Iran, suspecting it of secretly building a nuclear weapon - a claim denied by Tehran.
Iran retaliated by carrying out missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighbouring Gulf Arab states which host US military bases.
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Indonesia Among Global Envoys Walking Out on Netanyahu UN Speech
Reporter
September 25, 2026 | 08:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian diplomats were among dozens of international envoys walking out of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, 2026, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to deliver his national statement.
Visual footage provided by the Indonesian Permanent Mission in New York showed diplomats rushing from their seats as Netanyahu was called to the podium.
The protesting diplomats jeered and booed, prompting the presiding officer to repeatedly strike the gavel to restore order, according to New Straits Times.
The coordinated demonstration followed a memorandum issued by the Palestinian delegation calling on member states to leave the hall.
As envoys exited the hall, Netanyahu addressed the remaining assembly with open defiance. "If there are any other moral cowards who haven't left this hall, please do so now," Netanyahu remarked as his own delegation applauded, as broadcast by UN Web TV.
Escalating Regional Conflict and Gaza Toll
Netanyahu spent a brief six hours in the United States for the gathering and did not hold meetings with US President Donald Trump or Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a Jerusalem Post report cited by Antara.
His appearance comes at a time of deep international backlash over Israel's ongoing military campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank, alongside ceasefire violations in Lebanon and joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran launched in February.
Netanyahu also remains subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2024 for alleged war crimes.
Undeterred by the walkout, Netanyahu used his speech to defend Israel’s military stance across the region. "We're going to win. We have no other choice," he declared, as reported by BBC.
He launched verbal attacks against his global critics, rejecting genocide allegations and taking aim at European leaders. "They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism—some colonialism. And who's accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God's sake, they invented the term," Netanyahu said.
He further labeled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant" for supporting Hamas, and criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over local security concerns for Jewish residents, BBC noted.
Conversely, Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump for his "bold leadership," referencing their joint military operations targeting Tehran. "Israel and America acted together not only to protect ourselves, but to save civilization," he said.
Counter-Arguments and Domestic Pressures
Hours prior to Netanyahu’s speech, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a recorded address to the assembly, having been denied a US entry visa, BBC reported.
Abbas warned that Israeli policy and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank threaten "the very life and existence of the Palestinian people on their homeland" and destroy prospects for a two-state solution. He urged the UN to confront what he characterized as a campaign of "killing, destruction, starvation, and attempts at displacement."
Analysts note that much of Netanyahu's combative posture at the UN podium was for political audiences back home. Israel faces a critical national election next month, where Netanyahu’s religious-right coalition currently trails in public opinion polls, according to BBC.
With his long-held reputation as "Mr. Security" under intense domestic scrutiny following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, his stance at the UN serves as campaign material to demonstrate his willingness to confront international pressure.
Deepening Toll and Street Protests
The protest reflects growing international opposition to Israel's military campaigns across the Middle East. According to Gaza's health ministry, more than 73,920 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its attacks following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
While Israel consistently maintains its operations are justified self-defense, a panel from the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) and a UN commission of inquiry have both determined that Israel's actions meet the legal criteria for genocide.
Outside the UN headquarters, New York City police detained several high-profile figures blocking an intersection to protest Netanyahu's presence, including Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon, actress Hannah Einbinder, Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, and New York City Council Member Chi Osse.
Read: UNGA: Mahmoud Abbas Calls for Palestinian Self-Determination
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Watch: UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech
Dozens of United Nations delegates walked out of the hall Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to deliver a speech in.
Addressing the UN's General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu described those walking out as "moral cowards". Those who remained and felt similarly should leave, he said.
The Israeli delegation could be seen cheering Netanyahu in support.
Israel has faced condemnation for its actions in Gaza and Lebanon. A UN commission of inquiry has previously accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza - Israel has strongly rejected the accusations.
The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 73,920 people have been killed, according to the territory's health ministry.
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Watch: UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech
Dozens of United Nations delegates walked out of the hall Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to deliver a speech in.
Addressing the UN's General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu described those walking out as "moral cowards". Those who remained and felt similarly should leave, he said.
The Israeli delegation could be seen cheering Netanyahu in support.
Israel has faced condemnation for its actions in Gaza and Lebanon. A UN commission of inquiry has previously accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza - Israel has strongly rejected the accusations.
The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 73,920 people have been killed, according to the territory's health ministry.
Related topics
- United NationsUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.
- IsraelUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.
- Benjamin NetanyahuUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.
- Israel-Gaza warUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.
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A mass walkout of delegates before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly prompted a fiery response from the Israeli leader.
As Netanyahu took the stage, dozens of delegates from across the globe could be seen streaming out of the chamber in New York City. Chants of protest could also be heard in the hall as the U.N. president called the assembly to order.
After taking the stage, Netanyahu said, "Before I begin, just a quick announcement, if there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now," as cheers erupted from the remaining delegates in the chamber.
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The Israeli leader did not let up for the rest of his address. He began by laying out what he described as the stakes of the conflict in Iran. He proclaimed that "devastating Iran's nuclear facilities was hard, it was very hard to do, but for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make as prime minister. Because if we hadn't done it, we'd all be dead."
"Now, you want to hear the ultimate irony?" he continued. "In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall. In fact, I want you to know that many of the leaders even thanked us privately for taking out Iran's nukes."
"It's hard to imagine more mind blowing hypocrisy, but that's exactly what it is," said Netanyahu.
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The protests came as conflict in the Middle East continued and Israel faced criticism over its actions in the region. Netanyahu's address drew protests from delegates inside the U.N. chamber and demonstrators outside the building, including Hollywood celebrities Elliot Page and Susan Sarandon.
Despite the protests, the prime minister delivered a defiant message, telling critics, "You don't know what you're talking about."
He cast Israel's fight as one for its own survival and the survival of all the world's nations against "barbarians."
"For the past three years, our heroic soldiers have fought day in an day out in a seven front war. Do you know any other country the size of New Jersey capable of fighting a seven front war? And for three years, seven fronts Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, militias in Iraq, militias in Syria, Palestinian terrorists in Judea, Samaria, they all ganged up on us to wipe us off the face of the earth, they failed. Because instead of collapsing, we delivered crippling blows to all of them, with our great American friends."
"To the protesters outside, to the hypocritical delegates who left this hall. I ask, 'Where were you when the Iranian tyrants butchered and maimed tens of thousands of unarmed Iranian civilians? When they butchered and maimed thousands of their own people? Where were you? Did you organize mass rallies, hunger strikes? Did you protest outside the Iranian mission to the UN? Did you speak out for that matter, for Christians persecuted in Iran and throughout the Middle East?' No, no, you didn't, because you're phony human rights protesters," he said.
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He also thanked President Donald Trump for ordering U.S. action against Iran.
"In this battle against the barbarians, we've had no greater partner than President Trump," said Netanyahu. "I thank him. I thank him for his bold leadership. He boldly confronted an enormous danger to America, Israel and the world."
"He understood that if left unchallenged, the fanatic ayatollahs who chant, 'Death to America, death to Israel,' would eventually carry out their mad fantasies. So, Israel and America acted together not only to protect ourselves, but to save civilization," he said.
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Netanyahu also criticized detractors in what he called "the eigth front in this war," which he said is "the war for truth." He said that this "war" is "waged in the world's media and most perniciously, in social media."
Turning to criticism from U.S. figures, Netanyahu called out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a socialist, whom he called "anti-semitic," as well as influencer Hasan Piker. Addressing Mamdani directly, Netanyahu said, "Mr. Mamdani, you try to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can't silence me. You can't silence the truth."
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