Why Delegates Walked Out of the Un Assembly — How Many, and Who They Were

More than 100 diplomats staged a dramatic walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, 26 September, in one of the largest coordinated protests seen at the UN in years.

According to The Washington Post, over 100 diplomats from more than 50 countries were involved. Reuters described 'scores' leaving in unison as Netanyahu stepped up to the podium. Rows of empty seats quickly underscored the scale of the dissent.

Why they walked out

Delegations said the protest targeted Israel's Gaza offensive and Netanyahu's rejection of Palestinian statehood. In his speech, Netanyahu vowed to 'finish the job' against Hamas, while dismissing recent recognitions of Palestine by the UK, France, Canada and Australia as a 'mark of shame,' Reuters reported.

According to the Associated Press, Netanyahu accused European leaders of pushing Israel into 'national suicide' and rewarding Hamas.

'Israel will not allow you to shove a terrorist state down our throats,' he declared. He added: 'We will not commit national suicide because you don't have the guts to face down the hostile media and antisemitic mobs demanding Israel's blood.'

Netanyahu also praised US President Donald Trump, who said shortly after the speech: 'I think we have a deal,' hinting at a proposed Gaza peace framework that would involve Hamas's disarmament.

The AP noted that Palestinian foreign ministry official Adel Atieh dismissed Netanyahu's address as 'the speech of a defeated man.'

Outside the UN, protesters in New York demanded his arrest, with one activist telling AP: 'War criminals don't deserve any peace of mind. They don't deserve any sleep.'

Activists and analysts echoed those sentiments. Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, told Common Dreams: 'Those who walked out when Netanyahu was speaking at the UN are the fortunate ones. Those of us who listened to his speech online are feeling sick. He is such a bold-faced liar and a mass murderer.'

Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute added: 'I don't recall seeing such a large walkout for quite some time at UNGA. Israel has chosen to be a pariah and is increasingly treated as such by the international community.'

New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media, cited by Common Dreams: 'During the course of his speech, another Palestinian child will undoubtedly be killed ... as they have been every single hour for nearly two years.'

Who walked out

The UN did not issue an official list. Reuters reported that delegations from more than 50 countries were represented, spanning Arab, African, Asian, European and Latin American blocs. The Washington Post noted that Spain refused to attend Netanyahu's speech altogether.

By contrast, BBC reporting indicated that the United States and the United Kingdom remained in the hall, though only with junior-level diplomats. Canada also stayed, according to Reuters. Iran boycotted the speech entirely, the AP reported.

What it means

The walkout underscored Israel's diplomatic isolation at the UN. Symbolically, it left Netanyahu addressing a sparsely populated chamber. Strategically, it reflected coordinated international pressure for an end to the Gaza war and renewed political negotiations.

As Reuters observed, the scale of the protest was rare in the history of the General Debate. Combined with protests outside UN headquarters and AP's reporting of demonstrations in Times Square, the walkout amplified global frustration with Israel's Gaza policy and Netanyahu's uncompromising tone.