UN General Assembly 2025: Diplomats storm out as Netanyahu takes podium
Scores of diplomats walked out of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, to protest the ongoing genocide in Gaza and Israel's repeated attacks against several countries across the Middle East.
As soon as Netanyahu took the stage, several diplomats could be seen walking out in haste as Netanyahu entered the great hall to speak from the podium, replicating an act of protest carried out last year.
The walkout created a line at the exits as people left the room, while the US delegation applauded Netanyahu, who stood in silence during the protest.
The Brazilian delegation could be seen wearing the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh, whilst some of the diplomats that remained either cheered in support or began taking selfies and videos of the protest action.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu in November 2024, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Gaza since October 2023.
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In his speech, a defiant Netanyahu - who has led Israel to grow increasingly isolated - said he had reshaped the Middle East as he boasted about Israel's regional attacks and assassinations.
"You remember those beepers, the pagers, we paged Hezbollah, and believe me, they got the message," he said.
Netanyahu, who is also facing a long-running corruption trial at home in Israel, then took credit for the fall of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, failing to mention the rebel offensive, which was backed by Turkey and Qatar, that led to his ouster.
Sporting a large QR code on his lapel, Netanyahu then heaped praise on US President Donald Trump "for his bold and decisive action" in attacking Iran's nuclear strikes this summer.
Israel launched its unprecedented attack on the Islamic Republic on 13 June, and repeatedly targeted the country's military and nuclear facilities, as well as assassinated high-profile security, intelligence officials and military commanders, and scientists.
In response, Iran fired barrages of missiles towards Haifa, Tel Aviv and other major Israeli cities, striking several sensitive areas.
Trump's strikes on Iran's three nuclear facilities - the first such act by any US president - came just over a week after Israel began its assault.
Since then, Israel's military censor, as a matter of policy, barred local and international media outlets from publishing the details of the exact locations targeted by Iran.
Later in his speech, Netanyahu repeated the widely debunked claim that Hamas fighters "burned babies alive in front of their parents" during the 7 October attacks. He then claimed that Israel's allies, which have become increasingly critical of the ongoing genocide, were privately thanking him whilst publicly condemning the assault on the enclave.
"You know deep down that Israel, Israel is fighting your fight," he said, addressing UN members.
"So I want to tell you a secret behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us, privately thank us.
"They tell me how much they value Israel's superb intelligence services that have prevented, time and again, terrorist attacks in their capitals, time and again, saving countless lives," he added.
More than 238,000 Palestinians have either been killed, wounded or are missing since Israel launched its genocidal campaign, with recent reports, based on Israeli military intelligence data, indicating that more than 80 percent of those killed in the enclave until May of this year were civilians.
Almost the entire population has fled their homes at least once, with homes, schools, and hospitals devastated by daily air strikes and tank fire.
Throughout his speech, Netanyahu compared the 7 October attacks with the 9/11 attacks in the US, as he sought to attack the growing international recognition of a future Palestinian state.
"Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7 is like giving al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11," Netanyahu said.
Members of the US delegation in attendance, who have been Israel’s staunchest defenders at the world body, could be seen applauding.
"This is sheer madness. It's insane, and we won't do it," Netanyahu said.
Whilst wrapping up his 45-minute speech, Netanyahu referred to Israel seeking to be a “beacon of progress, ingenuity, innovation for the benefit of all humanity”.
"On October 7, the enemies of Israel tried to extinguish that light. The resolve of Israel and the strength of Israel burned brighter than ever, with God's help, that strength and that resolve will lead us to a speedy victory, into a brilliant future of prosperity and peace," he said.
Within minutes of Netanyahu leaving the podium, most of the delegates - who had left the main hall in protest - began to return as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to the stage.
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