Dozens of diplomatic delegations walked out of the United Nations General Assembly chamber as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to deliver his address on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The walkout came amid intense international criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and was led by the Palestinian Mission to the UN, which had urged member states to leave the chamber when Netanyahu’s name was announced.
As delegates streamed out, much of the General Assembly hall was left empty. The UN General Assembly President, Khalilur Rahman, repeatedly called for order as members of the Israeli delegation applauded and chanted “Am Yisrael Chai” Hebrew for “the people of Israel live.”
Netanyahu, who remained at the podium during the disruption, responded by telling delegates who had stayed that if there were “any other moral cowards” still in the hall, they should also leave.
He subsequently defended Israel’s military actions, rejecting allegations of genocide in Gaza and describing such accusations as “the biggest lie of the century.” Israel has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide and war crimes.
According to the report, an Israeli diplomat was seen taking notes as delegations left the chamber, with reports later emerging that Israeli officials had compiled their own count of countries whose seats were empty during the address.
An Israeli media also report subsequently put the number at 77 countries, while stressing that the figure included both delegations that walked out and countries whose representatives were already absent from the chamber. The report specifically cautioned that not every absence amounted to a protest.
This distinction is important because an earlier list circulating online claimed that 75 countries had walked out. However, reporting by LiveMint noted that there was no official UN list confirming the 75-country figure, and that the viral list could not independently be verified.
The Israeli tally of 77 countries included Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Iran, Qatar, Oman, South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Ireland, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria, Kuwait, Tunisia, Sudan, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Mozambique, Nigeria’s regional neighbours and several other states.
Visual evidence from the chamber also showed empty seats associated with countries including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Algeria, Iran, Malaysia, Montenegro and Kyrgyzstan.
Pakistan’s delegation was reported to have left the chamber but remained nearby to listen to the speech, according to the Israeli account. Meanwhile, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates remained in their seats despite tensions with Israel over the Gaza war.
Ireland also adopted a different approach. Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said an Irish representative would remain in the hall to hear Netanyahu, while no Irish minister would attend the speech. She said Ireland wanted to understand what Netanyahu was saying even while strongly disagreeing with the Israeli government’s actions.
During his address, Netanyahu defended Israel’s military operations and argued that Israel was acting in self-defence. He also addressed the conflict involving Iran and claimed that Israel was defending countries whose representatives had walked out.
He said some leaders privately thanked Israel for its actions against Iran.
The speech also referred to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage, according to Reuters. Israel subsequently launched its military campaign in Gaza.
The Palestinian Mission, meanwhile, accused Israel of genocide and war crimes in its appeal for the walkout. Those allegations are contested by Israel, which rejects the characterization of its military campaign as genocide.
The mass departure became one of the most visible diplomatic moments of the 81st UN General Assembly, highlighting the deep divisions among member states over the Gaza war, Palestinian statehood and Israel’s wider regional policies.
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