More than 100 diplomats streamed out of the United Nations General Assembly hall on September 24, 2026, leaving a dramatically thinned chamber as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium for a fiery defense of military operations in Gaza and against Iran.
Walkouts and Security Chaos at the 81st General Assembly
The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York opened under intense diplomatic friction on September 24, 2026. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the stage, a mass departure emptied large sections of the chamber. While Foreign Policy reported more than 100 delegates walking out, other accounts recorded dozens of envoys abandoning their seats. The walkout followed a coordinated message from the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations urging member nations to bring as many staff as possible to the assembly hall and collectively walk out once the Israeli leader was announced.
Facing the departing envoys immediately after taking the podium, Netanyahu hurled a direct challenge at the chamber.
Photo: ibtimes.co.uk
If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left the hall, please do so now.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman repeatedly called for order as members of the Israeli delegation chanted Am Yisrael Chai inside the disrupted hall. Outside United Nations headquarters, street demonstrations against Israel’s military campaign led to significant police intervention. The New York Police Department confirmed that 103 individuals were arrested for disorderly conduct and subsequently released. Among those detained near the barricades, according to Reuters reporting, were Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon, Emmy Award winner Hannah Einbinder, Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, and New York City Council member Chi Osse.
Gaza Denials, Regional Conflict, and Clash With Mayor Mamdani
From the podium, Netanyahu delivered a sweeping rejection of international criticism, dismissing allegations of genocide in Gaza as the biggest lie of the century and describing the Israeli military as the most moral army in the world. He directed his remarks not only at the diplomats present but also at critics abroad, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani had previously condemned the Israeli leader as a war criminal and threatened to have him arrested if he entered the city, though he later acknowledged lacking the authority to enforce such an action.
Mr Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. They talk to me, they tell me ‘this isn’t the city we remember, it changed so quickly.’
Photo: yahoo.com
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu added that Mamdani had tried to prevent him from traveling to New York and silencing his voice, declaring that neither the mayor nor his critics could silence the truth. Shifting to broader geopolitical disputes, Netanyahu defended military strikes against Iran earlier in the year. He stated that devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was one of the easiest decisions he had ever made as prime minister. He asserted that Israel was actively defending the very nations whose representatives had just walked out of the hall, claiming that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes. He also praised U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a partner in the battle against the barbarians.
The address took an unusual physical turn when Netanyahu held up a Starlink communications device while discussing internet restrictions imposed by Tehran. Pointing to the technology as a vital lifeline for Iranians facing months of government blackouts, Netanyahu suggested the terminal could help citizens bypass censorship and share their stories. Following the speech, Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon translated the symbolic gesture into a direct confrontation on the assembly floor.
Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly as Delegations Walk Out | Full Speech | NBC New York
Footage captured Danon approaching Iranian diplomat Nasser Asadi inside the delegation area, carrying the Starlink terminal. Danon attempted to hand the device to Asadi, asking if he wanted to take it back to Tehran and declaring that Israel loved the Iranian people while praying for regime change. Asadi refused to engage or accept the equipment, bringing the session to a tense close that underscored the profound diplomatic chasm dividing the assembly.
