Many delegations leave UN chamber during Netanyahu speech
According to reports, the Israeli prime minister called those who remained seated ‘moral cowards’.
At the start of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations, many diplomats and delegations left the chamber. The action underscored the diplomatic divisions surrounding Israel and the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu spoke on Thursday during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. At the beginning of his speech, a large number of attendees walked out. According to reporting by Sky News, there had already been protests in the city before the speech, and the response in the chamber was mixed.
The Israeli prime minister responded sharply to the departing delegations. According to a report by Agenzia Nova, he called on those still seated to leave as well and described them as ‘moral cowards’. The wording is a political characterisation by Netanyahu, not a finding by the United Nations.
The speech took place during the annual General Assembly, which runs from 18 to 28 September inclusive. During this period, heads of government and other senior representatives speak about international conflicts, security and cooperation. The gathering gives countries a platform, but the speeches themselves do not lead to binding decisions.
The walk-out should therefore primarily be seen as a diplomatic signal. Delegations can distance themselves through their departure from the speaker or from the policies he represents. It is not a formal vote and in itself changes nothing about ongoing negotiations, sanctions or procedures.
Netanyahu is seeking through his presence to defend Israel’s position internationally. Opponents use the same opportunity to criticise Israel’s actions in Gaza and international support for Israel. The publicly available sources consulted do not provide a complete overview of all the countries that left the chamber.
Nor has it been independently established exactly how many delegations left, or at what point each country did so. The footage and reports make the walk-out plausible, but numbers may differ depending on the counting method used. The political significance is clear, however: the speech began in a chamber in which Israel’s international isolation was conspicuously visible.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Delegations left the chamber at the beginning of Netanyahu’s speech.
- Netanyahu responded with a sharp characterisation of those present.
- The speech took place during the UN General Assembly.
Left
Arguments Leaving the chamber is a peaceful diplomatic protest against Israel’s military actions and the failure to exert sufficient international pressure on Israel.
Values International law, the protection of civilians and Palestinian self-determination.
Consequences Continued support for Israel could further damage international trust in Western governments and institutions.
Centre
Arguments Leaving the chamber makes political disapproval visible, but does not resolve the conflict. Diplomatic channels and concrete negotiations remain necessary.
Values Institutional diplomacy, proportionality and room for multiple security interests.
Consequences Symbolic actions can build pressure, but polarisation may make talks about hostages, aid and a political settlement more difficult.
Right
Arguments Israel has the right to defend its security position and its fight against Hamas; from this perspective, a mass walk-out primarily confirms the one-sidedness of international criticism.
Values National security, counter-terrorism and the protection of allies.
Consequences Diplomatic rejection could push Israel further towards independent military and political choices.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The core facts have been confirmed by current public reporting. The precise number of departing delegations remains uncertain and is explicitly described as such.
- confirmed Many delegations left the UN chamber at the beginning of Netanyahu’s speech. — Current reporting by Sky News and Agenzia Nova describes the walk-out. source
- confirmed Netanyahu called attendees who remained seated moral cowards. — Reported by Agenzia Nova as part of his response during the speech. source
- confirmed The UN General Assembly takes place from 18 to 28 September 2026. — Stated on the official UN page. source
- confirmed The walk-out is a diplomatic signal and not a formal vote. — This describes the procedural significance of a walk-out; the UN page describes speeches as part of the General Assembly. source
- uncertain The exact number of departing delegations has not been independently established. — The sources consulted do not provide a single official count. source
Editor's note
The walk-out and Netanyahu’s response were reported by multiple public sources. The exact number of countries and delegations could not be independently established.Sources
- UN latest: Dozens of delegates walk out as Netanyahu addresses UN General Assembly — Sky News
- Netanyahu tells the crowd leaving the UN Assembly — Agenzia Nova
- General Assembly High-level Week 2026 — United Nations
- Netanyahu arrives in New York to address the UN — Associated Press
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „israël benjamin netanyahu”
- NU.nl — „israël benjamin netanyahu”
- De Telegraaf — „israël benjamin netanyahu”