UN General Assembly empties as Netanyahu gives address
Dozens of United Nations delegates streamed out of the General Assembly chamber on Thursday ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech.
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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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters on Sept. 24, 2026, in New York City. World leaders gathered in New York for the annual session, with global issues ranging from the threat of artificial intelligence to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
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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Delegations walk out as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at U.N. headquarters in New York City, Sept. 26, 2025. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
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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Anti-Israel supporters march during a rally marking the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, or the "catastrophe" of the creation of Israel, in Dearborn, Michigan, on May 13, 2023. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)
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."
