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, then defended Israel’s military actions and rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza. Netanyahu called those departing “moral cowards”; supporters in the chamber applauded and chanted, according to accounts of the proceedings. No verified count of participating delegations was established. The Palestinian Mission to the United Nations had urged member states to leave when Netanyahu began speaking. Some delegates booed as others exited, while the Israeli delegation and supporters applauded. General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman called for order. Netanyahu addressed those remaining, inviting any others who objected to his presence to leave. The available accounts do not provide a complete list of delegations that departed or a single independently verified tally. Netanyahu devoted much of his address to Iran, defending Israeli strikes on the country and saying they had prevented it from developing nuclear weapons. He described the decision to attack as one of the easiest he had made as prime minister.