Dozens Walk Out as Netanyahu Defends Israel at UN

Dozens of delegates left the United Nations General Assembly chamber as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address on September 24, during which he defended Israel’s military actions and rejected allegations of genocide in Gaza. Netanyahu called those who departed “moral cowards,” while supporters applauded and cheered. No independently verified count of the delegations that left was provided.

The walkout followed a call by the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations for member states to leave when Netanyahu began speaking. Some delegates booed as others exited, and General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman called for order. Netanyahu addressed those who remained, inviting others who objected to his presence to leave. The available accounts do not establish a complete list of participating delegations.

Much of the speech focused on Iran and Israel’s regional security. Netanyahu defended Israeli strikes on Iran and said they had prevented the country from developing nuclear weapons. He described authorizing an attack as one of the easiest decisions he had made as prime minister. Those claims about the strikes’ effects were assertions made in the address, not...