Netanyahu defends Israel’s actions at UN as delegations walk out
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly amid a walkout by dozens of delegates, with boos and some applause in the chamber. He defended Israel’s military actions, rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza and sharply criticized several countries and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Key points
- The walkout was a prominent protest during Netanyahu’s address; the Israeli delegation cheered him, and he called those leaving “moral cowards.”
Evidence · 4 source statements
"moral cowards"
The Israeli delegation could be seen cheering Netanyahu in support.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced boos, scattered applause and a mass walkout of delegates during his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this…
- Netanyahu’s central defense was that Israel had not committed genocide in Gaza and had instead prevented one; he also presented military action against Iran as necessary to avert an existential threat.
Evidence · 3 source statements
Israel didn’t commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide.
describing the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities as an unavoidable decision to prevent what he called an existential threat to Israel
He also moved to shield his own record, rejecting genocide accusations outright and claiming, without credible evidence, that his military had taken more precautions to protect…
- He also criticized Mamdani, Qatar and Türkiye, including accusing Türkiye of backing Hamas and Qatar of funding US universities to influence opinion.
Evidence · 3 source statements
He lashed out at New York's popular, leftist Mayor Zohran Mamdani as "antisemitic" and claimed that "since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe."
brainwash young minds to hate Israel, hate America, and hate the West.
He accused Turkey of backing Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas, going on to call the country's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant."
Who's involved
Benjamin Netanyahu
He was Israel’s prime minister and the speaker at the General Assembly.
He denied that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, said Israel had prevented genocide, and defended the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities as necessary to prevent an existential threat. He also criticized countries he said had yielded to antisemitic mobs, and attacked Mamdani, Qatar and Türkiye.
What they said · 7 source statements
Israel didn’t commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide.
describing the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities as an unavoidable decision to prevent what he called an existential threat to Israel
He also moved to shield his own record, rejecting genocide accusations outright and claiming, without credible evidence, that his military had taken more precautions to protect…
succumbing to the antisemitic mobs
He lashed out at New York's popular, leftist Mayor Zohran Mamdani as "antisemitic" and claimed that "since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe."
brainwash young minds to hate Israel, hate America, and hate the West.
He accused Turkey of backing Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas, going on to call the country's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant."
Government of Israel
It was the government whose military conduct and policies were defended in the speech.
Israel rejected allegations that it had committed genocide or war crimes and that it was illegally occupying Palestinian territory.
What they said · 1 source statement
Israel rejects allegations that it committed genocide and war crimes and is illegally occupying Palestinian territory.
What was reported
- Netanyahu addressed the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session in New York.
One source: Xinhua
Evidence · 1 source statement
Scores of delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly hall in protest as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to address the general debate…
- Dozens of delegates left the hall as Netanyahu took the podium or began speaking; afterward, most visible seats were empty.
Reported independently by 2: AP, BBC News
Evidence · 2 source statements
Dozens of United Nations delegates walked out of the hall Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to deliver a speech in.
Scores of delegates marched out and a majority of visible seats sat empty afterwards.
- Boos were heard during the address, while the Israeli delegation cheered and some people in the chamber applauded.
Reported independently by 3: BBC News, NDTV, UN News
Evidence · 3 source statements
Dozens of envoys from across the world walked out, some jeering and booing, while Netanyahu's own team stood and applauded, and the speaker of the session shouted for order.
The Israeli delegation could be seen cheering Netanyahu in support.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced boos, scattered applause and a mass walkout of delegates during his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this…
- Netanyahu called departing delegates “moral cowards” and told others who felt the same way to leave.
One source: BBC News
Evidence · 2 source statements
"moral cowards"
Those who remained and felt similarly should leave, he said.
- Delegations reported as leaving included those from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan and Palestine.
One source: Yonhap News Agency
Evidence · 1 source statement
- Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, calling them the “biggest lie of the century.”
Reported independently by 2: BBC News, The Hindu
Evidence · 2 source statements
“the biggest lie of the century,”
The Israeli leader also rejected accusations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
- Netanyahu described the decision to attack Iran as one of the easiest decisions he had made as prime minister, while also saying the operation was difficult to carry out.
One source: RIA Novosti
Evidence · 3 source statements
- Netanyahu accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and said many Jews no longer felt safe in New York since Mamdani’s election.
Reported independently by 2: BBC News, NDTV
Evidence · 2 source statements
He falsely accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas militants.
“Since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York,”
- Netanyahu accused Qatar of funding US universities to influence young people against Israel, the United States and the West.
One source: The Times of Israel
Evidence · 1 source statement
brainwash young minds to hate Israel, hate America, and hate the West.
- Netanyahu accused Türkiye of backing Hamas and called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a tyrant.
One source: NDTV
Evidence · 1 source statement
He accused Turkey of backing Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas, going on to call the country's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant."
How coverage differed
Chinese and Venezuelan state media — These reports foregrounded the walkout, boos and international criticism, while describing Netanyahu’s defense of Israel’s military actions.
Israeli media — These reports gave substantial attention to Netanyahu’s criticism of Iran, Qatar, Türkiye and Mamdani, as well as reactions to the speech.
Still unclear
- The reports give no definitive count of how many delegates left the hall.
- No agreement or policy outcome from the address was announced.
Not heard from
- Palestinian representatives — Palestinian delegations were among those reported to have left, and the speech addressed Gaza and Palestinian statehood, but no Palestinian representative’s own statement appears.
- Iranian representatives — Iranian delegates were reported to have left, and Netanyahu discussed Iran’s nuclear facilities, but no Iranian representative’s own statement appears.
- Qatar — Netanyahu criticized Qatar, but no Qatari representative’s own response appears.
- Türkiye — Netanyahu accused Türkiye of supporting Hamas, but no Turkish representative’s own response appears.
- Zohran Mamdani — Netanyahu criticized Mamdani directly, but the claims include no statement from Mamdani himself.