New York -UNS : Dozens of national delegations walked out of the United Nations General Assembly chamber as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address to the 81st session, in a highly visible diplomatic protest over Israel’s policies and the war in Gaza.
Reuters reported that a large number of diplomats left the chamber as Netanyahu began speaking. Other media reports have put the number of delegations that left or vacated their seats at approximately 70 to 77. However, no definitive country-by-country roll call has been publicly issued by the United Nations, and the figure should therefore be treated as a reported count rather than an official UN total.
Delegations Reported to Have Walked Out
Video footage and media reports indicated that representatives of Palestine, Iran, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were among those who left the chamber.
Other countries named in reporting included Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Yemen, Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Spain and Slovenia.
The list should not be regarded as exhaustive or as an official United Nations record.
US and Several Western States Remained
Representatives of the United States and a number of Western countries remained in the chamber during Netanyahu’s address. Reports also showed representatives of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Australia and Japan among those who remained.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain also remained seated. Both countries established diplomatic relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords.
Remaining in the chamber, however, does not necessarily indicate full support for the Israeli government’s policies, just as a walkout does not necessarily represent every aspect of a country’s wider foreign policy.
Netanyahu Responds to the Walkout
As diplomats continued to leave, Netanyahu directly addressed those departing from the podium.
According to Reuters, he referred to those who walked out as “moral cowards” and challenged any remaining delegates who wished to leave to do so.
Netanyahu then continued his address, defending Israel’s military actions and its position on the war in Gaza and the wider regional conflict.
Gaza and Iran at the Centre of the Address
A significant part of Netanyahu’s speech focused on Gaza, Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah and Israel’s security.
Netanyahu rejected allegations that Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to genocide, describing such accusations in particularly strong terms as “the biggest lie of the century”.
The Israeli government maintains that its military campaign is directed against Hamas and that Israel is acting in defence of its citizens. Palestinian officials and Israel’s critics, meanwhile, have raised serious concerns over civilian casualties and alleged violations of international law.
Netanyahu also defended Israel’s military action against Iran and described the decision to strike Iranian nuclear facilities as one of the easier decisions he had made as prime minister.
The Israeli government subsequently published the full text of Netanyahu’s address.
Diplomatic Significance
The walkout was a conspicuous display of the continuing diplomatic divisions surrounding Israel, the Gaza war and the wider Middle East conflict.
The action itself was a political and diplomatic protest. It was not a United Nations resolution, sanction or judicial ruling, and it did not in itself create a new legal obligation for Israel or any other state.
The differing reactions inside the General Assembly nevertheless illustrated the contrasting positions among UN member states over the conflict and Israel’s conduct of the war.
Legal Context
The walkout has no direct legal effect.
Questions concerning alleged violations of international humanitarian law, the conduct of military operations and the legal status of actions relating to Gaza remain matters for separate diplomatic, investigative and judicial processes.
It is therefore important to distinguish between a diplomatic protest inside the General Assembly and formal action by an international court or UN body.
Press Summary
The 24 September 2026 session became one of the most visually striking diplomatic moments of the General Assembly. As Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking, dozens of delegations reportedly left the chamber, while representatives of the United States, several Western allies, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other states remained.
Netanyahu responded by describing the departing representatives as “moral cowards” before continuing with a defence of Israel’s policies and military actions.
The reported figure of approximately 77 delegations should be treated with caution. In the absence of a publicly released, comprehensive UN roll call, “dozens of delegations” remains the more defensible description for formal news reporting.
