Delegates staged a dramatic walkout at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the prospect of Palestinian statehood in a fiery address marked by boos and interruptions.
Gatekeepers News reports that the unusual protest began as Netanyahu approached the podium, prompting a UN official to call for calm before the speech resumed.
The Israeli leader condemned recent recognitions of Palestine by some nations as “shameful, sheer madness and insane,” warning they would embolden extremists worldwide.
Netanyahu likened efforts to establish a Palestinian state after Hamas’s October 7 attack to “giving al Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11.”
“Your disgraceful decision will encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere. It will be a mark of shame on all of you,” he declared.
“What you’re doing is giving the ultimate reward to intolerant fanatics who perpetrated and supported the Sabbath massacre.”
Reaffirming Israel’s stance, Netanyahu said his country would not accept international pressure.
“We will not commit national suicide because you don’t have the guts to face down a hostile media and antisemitic mobs demanding Israel’s blood,” he said.
The prime minister also dismissed international criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza, accusing world leaders of bowing to “biased media, radical Islamist constituencies and antisemitic mobs.”
In response, Hamas hailed the walkout as proof of Israel’s growing “isolation” over the Gaza conflict.
