Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was met with boos and a visible walkout as he began his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.
Video from inside the General Assembly Hall showed numerous delegates leaving their seats and heading for the exits as Netanyahu took the podium. Others remained in the chamber, and the reaction inside the hall was mixed.
The scene immediately drew attention because something very similar happened at Netanyahu’s UNGA appearance last year.
In September 2025, several delegations also walked out as Netanyahu began speaking at the General Assembly. The United Nations’ own meeting coverage described his arrival at the podium as being met by “a walkout of several delegations and an audibly mixed reception.”
Reuters likewise reported that many diplomats left the hall during his 2025 speech, while some of those who remained applauded.
A Familiar Scene at the General Assembly
This year’s reaction therefore echoed one of the most striking moments of the previous UN General Assembly.
Netanyahu’s appearances at the U.N. have increasingly become focal points for diplomatic protest over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Palestinian statehood and the wider regional conflict.
Ahead of this year’s speech, Netanyahu said he planned to use the U.N. platform to defend Israel’s military actions and respond to what he called false accusations against the country.
The walkout inside the General Assembly also came as protesters gathered outside U.N. headquarters in Manhattan, where demonstrations against Netanyahu’s visit had already led to arrests.
Last year, large pro-Palestinian demonstrations similarly took place in New York during his U.N. appearance, while inside the chamber diplomats walked out during his address.
The repeated scenes underline how Netanyahu’s speeches at the United Nations have become not only diplomatic addresses, but also visible demonstrations of the deep divisions surrounding Israel’s policies and the war in Gaza.
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, United Nations, UNGA, Israel, Gaza, Walkout, Diplomacy, New York City, General Assembly
Sources: United Nations; Reuters.
By NJ RADAR Team