Diplomats from several countries left the United Nations General Assembly chamber on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to deliver his address.
The walkout mirrored a similar protest during Netanyahu’s speech at last year’s UNGA session, with a significant number of delegates leaving the hall as he began speaking.
Others remained in their seats and applauded the Israeli prime minister. Some supporters also chanted “Am Yisrael Chai,” meaning “The people of Israel live”.
Netanyahu responded sharply to the delegates who walked out, labelling them “moral cowards” and challenging others who disagreed with his position to follow them.
“If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader also defended Israel’s military action against Iran, arguing that the strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were necessary to prevent a wider threat.
He said Israel’s decision to launch the attacks was difficult but ultimately straightforward from his perspective as prime minister.
“Devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard. It was very hard to do. But for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as prime minister,” he said.
Netanyahu further argued that Israel’s intervention had prevented a potentially catastrophic outcome, saying that without the strikes, “we’d all be dead”.
He predicted that the Iranian government would eventually collapse, declaring that its fall was “only a matter of time”.
According to Netanyahu, the Iranian people would eventually gain their freedom.
The prime minister also turned his criticism towards several European countries over sanctions imposed on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
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He condemned the measures while defending Israel’s position on the disputed territory.
Netanyahu also targeted Turkish President Recep Erdoğan during his address, describing him as a “tyrant” and accusing him of hosting Hamas leaders.
The address came amid continued international divisions over Israel’s military actions, its policies in the occupied Palestinian territories and the wider conflict involving Iran.