Bangladesh joins mass walkout during Netanyahu's UNGA speech
Dozens of delegations leave chamber as Israeli PM speaks.
Highlights
- Bangladesh joins mass UNGA walkout
- Dozens of delegations leave chamber during speech
- Saudi Arabia, Iran, Malaysia among countries listed
- Netanyahu calls departing delegates 'moral cowards'
- Mamdani hits back over Netanyahu's UN address
Bangladesh was among the countries whose delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly Hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address on Thursday (24 September), in a mass protest that left large sections of the chamber empty.
Reports and footage from the UN headquarters identified Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Algeria, Iran, Malaysia, Montenegro and Kyrgyzstan among the delegations that left or had empty seats during Netanyahu's speech. Jordan, Libya, the Marshall Islands and Mauritius were also reported to have empty seats, although some of these delegations left one representative behind.
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An Anadolu review said representatives from nearly 70 countries either walked out or left their seats vacant as Netanyahu approached the podium. Its list included Bangladesh along with Türkiye, Palestine, Tunisia, Syria, Algeria, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, Qatar, Lebanon, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Spain, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Nigeria, Ghana, Libya, Afghanistan, Oman, Niger, Madagascar, Botswana, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Cabo Verde.
There was no single confirmed list of every country whose delegates left the hall, with some accounts relying on photographs showing empty national seats.
Following the walkout, Israeli delegation goes around UN hall checking which delegations left.
Netanyahu hits back at departing delegates
Netanyahu continued his address as diplomats streamed out, while his supporters in the visitors' gallery cheered.
He described the departing delegates as "phony human rights protesters" and later called those who remained in the hall after the walkout "moral cowards," reports Dawn.
Netanyahu used the speech to defend Israel's military actions and reject allegations that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.
"Israel didn't commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide," he said.
The Israeli prime minister also criticised New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has publicly opposed Israel's conduct in Gaza and had previously called for Netanyahu to face the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant.
Mamdani responds
After the speech, Mamdani accused Netanyahu of using the UN platform to repeat what he described as "baseless lies".
"As he has done time and again, Prime Minister Netanyahu used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitise his genocide of Palestinians," Mamdani said.
"No lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity," he added.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and disputes the court's authority.
Protests continue outside UN
The diplomatic walkout coincided with demonstrations across Manhattan opposing Netanyahu and Israel's conduct of the Gaza war.
Hundreds of protesters gathered near the UN, with demonstrators blocking traffic and chanting against US support for Israel. Police detained protesters as officers moved to clear the roads, according to Reuters.
Jewish, Muslim and Palestinian groups staged separate demonstrations, while progressive Jewish organisations held a separate rally near the UN to oppose Netanyahu's policies.
The largest direct action was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace, whose New York chapter brought protesters to First Avenue and 39th Street. Police later said more than 100 people had been taken into custody, while actors, musicians and politicians were among those detained.
Generational divide visible on streets
The demonstrations also reflected divisions in US public opinion over Israel and Netanyahu.
A Pew Research Centre survey conducted in May found that 18% of Americans aged 18–29 had a favourable view of the Israeli government, compared with 47% among those aged 65 and older. Among 18–29-year-olds, 58% had a favourable view of Palestinians, compared with 47% among people aged 65 and above.
The contrasting scenes inside and outside the UN diplomats leaving the chamber and protesters confronting police on the streets underscored the divisions surrounding Israel's war in Gaza.
