Delegates Walk Out as Netanyahu Begins Speech

The UN General Assembly hall saw a major walkout before Netanyahu began his address. The Palestinian Mission had urged countries to leave the chamber in protest, and many diplomats subsequently exited.

Netanyahu said the walkout would not prevent him from delivering his message. He argued that Israel was defending itself against threats from Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah and said Israel was also protecting other countries in the region.

The United Arab Emirates delegation remained in the chamber, according to reporting from the Times of Israel.

Netanyahu Defends Military Action Against Iran

A major focus of Netanyahu’s speech was Israel’s confrontation with Iran. He recalled his previous warnings about Iran’s nuclear program and said Israel’s decision to attack Iranian nuclear facilities was necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Netanyahu described the decision as one of the easiest he had made as prime minister because, in his words, failing to act would have placed Israel and others at extreme risk.

He also praised U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Israel had no greater partner than the United States. Netanyahu credited cooperation between the two countries with damaging Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear facilities.

Netanyahu Rejects Gaza Genocide Allegations

Netanyahu strongly rejected accusations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, calling the allegation “the greatest lie of the century.”

He said Israel had taken measures to protect Palestinian civilians, including warning residents through text messages, telephone calls and leaflets before military operations.

Israel has consistently denied genocide allegations and says its military campaign is directed against Hamas. Palestinian officials and critics of Israel dispute that account and have accused Israel of causing widespread civilian suffering and destruction in Gaza.

Netanyahu also cited Israeli deliveries of food and medical assistance to Gaza as evidence against the genocide accusation.

October 7 and Hamas

Netanyahu devoted part of his speech to the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

He said Hamas had attacked Israeli communities and killed civilians, including people who had worked alongside or employed Palestinians. Netanyahu compared the scale of the attack to a hypothetical mass-casualty attack in the United States, saying it would be equivalent to 40,000 Americans being killed in less than 24 hours.

The October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage, according to Israeli figures cited by Fyrim.

Netanyahu Holds Up Pager

During his address, Netanyahu held up a pager while discussing Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah.

He referred to the September 2024 pager explosions that targeted devices used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon and parts of Syria. The explosions killed 12 people and wounded more than 3,000, according to reporting cited by India Today.

Netanyahu said Hezbollah would remember the operation and used it to illustrate Israel’s military capabilities against armed groups in the region.

Attacks on Mamdani

Netanyahu directly addressed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during the speech.

He accused Mamdani of contributing to an environment in which Jewish residents feel less safe in New York and criticized his public opposition to Israel. Netanyahu also referred to Mamdani’s associations with people he considers supportive of Hamas and criticized statements and social-media activity connected to Mamdani’s political circle.

Mamdani has strongly criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza and has rejected accusations that his criticism of Israel is antisemitic.

Netanyahu also referenced online commentator Hasan Piker while criticizing people he says promote anti-Israel views.

Netanyahu Criticizes Turkey, Qatar and Europe

Netanyahu also attacked Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing Ankara of spreading what he described as antisemitic narratives against Israel.

He similarly criticized Qatar, saying the country had spent years funding media organizations and educational institutions that he believes promote hostility toward Israel and the United States.

Netanyahu also criticized Britain and France over accusations that Israel practices colonialism. He rejected the characterization and argued that Israel itself had faced historical threats and persecution.

These statements reflect Netanyahu’s broader argument that Israel is facing an international campaign against its legitimacy.

West Bank and Settler Violence

Netanyahu addressed criticism of violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. He described the perpetrators as a relatively small group and said he opposed vigilantism.

He also argued that international attention focused excessively on incidents involving Israeli settlers while overlooking attacks against Israelis.

The Israeli government and Palestinian officials have sharply different views of the scale and causes of violence in the West Bank, while international organizations have documented violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers as well as attacks by Palestinians against Israelis.

Netanyahu Warns About Iran’s Future

Netanyahu also addressed Iranian protesters and the Iranian government.

Holding up a Starlink communications device, he said Iranian authorities fear their citizens having unrestricted access to information and social media. He predicted that the Iranian government would eventually fall and said the Iranian people would one day become free.

Iranian representatives were not present in the hall during Netanyahu’s address, according to reports, while a portrait of former Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani remained at the Iranian delegation's seats.

Netanyahu Says Israel and U.S. Are Defending Civilization

Netanyahu presented Israel’s military campaigns as part of a wider struggle against Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.

He described the Israel-U.S. relationship under Trump as central to confronting Iran and said the two countries had acted together to protect themselves and what he described as civilization.

He also called the Israel Defense Forces “the most moral army in the world,” a characterization that critics of Israel strongly dispute.

A Speech Delivered to a Divided Hall

Netanyahu’s address highlighted the deep international divisions surrounding Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its confrontation with Iran.

The walkout, his attacks on critics and his repeated defense of Israel’s military conduct made the speech one of the most confrontational addresses of the current UN General Assembly session. Fyrim reported that supporters in the gallery applauded Netanyahu while diplomats continued leaving the chamber.

Netanyahu ended by arguing that Israel would continue fighting because, in his view, it had no other choice.

Key Points

  • Dozens of delegates walked out as Netanyahu began speaking.
  • Netanyahu called those who left “moral cowards.”
  • He defended Israel’s military campaign against Iran and Hamas.
  • He praised President Donald Trump as a major partner.
  • Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.
  • He criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
  • He attacked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and criticized Qatar.
  • He defended Israel against accusations of colonialism.
  • He discussed Israeli operations against Hezbollah and held up a pager.
  • He predicted that Iran’s current government would eventually fall.
  • The UAE delegation remained in the hall during his address.

Source and Attribution

Based on Benjamin Netanyahu’s September 24, 2026 address to the United Nations General Assembly and reporting from Fyrim and other international news organizations.