Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened his address to the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday evening with a sharp rebuke aimed at delegates who demonstratively walked out in protest of his speech. Netanyahu said: "If there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now," according to The Zioneer.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened his address to the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday evening with a sharp rebuke directed at delegates who walked out in protest. Upon beginning his speech at approximately 20:50 Jerusalem time, Netanyahu said: "If there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now," according to The Zioneer. The remark set a combative tone for the remainder of his address.
As The Zioneer first reported at 20:50, dozens of delegates demonstratively left the hall as Netanyahu began speaking. The walkout was described by Israeli media as an antisemitic protest. In a subsequent bulletin at 21:14, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu also criticized Britain and France for accusing Israel of colonialism, calling the charge hypocritical, and declared that Israel is going to win. According to separate reports from Abu Ali Express cited by The Zioneer at that time, representatives of most Arab states left the hall during the address, while envoys from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia remained.
The appearance comes at the 81st UN General Assembly, which The Zioneer previewed on Tuesday as a high-stakes diplomatic gathering centered on regional security and the confrontation with Iran. The walkout and Netanyahu's defiant response echo a pattern of tensions between Israel and parts of the international community. Earlier this week, the Israeli delegation itself walked out during Turkish President Erdogan's address, as The Zioneer reported on September 22.
It remains unclear which specific delegations joined the walkout, beyond the reports of most Arab states leaving. No official confirmation of the number or identity of the departing delegates has been released by the UN or individual missions.
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