Delegations Walk Out as Netanyahu Addresses Nearly Empty UN General Assembly Hall

New York, MINA – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday before a largely empty hall after delegations from several countries walked out in protest because of Israel’s genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, as large demonstrations took place across New York, Anadolu Agency reports.

Delegations left the General Assembly hall as Netanyahu took the podium, protesting the premier, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Before Netanyahu’s speech, large crowds demonstrated near UN headquarters and elsewhere in New York, against his appearance and accusing him of committing “genocide” in Gaza. The protests included anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews carrying signs describing Netanyahu as a “war criminal,” as well as American and Israeli Jewish opposition groups and Western and Palestinian organizations opposing the genocidal war.

The Yedioth Ahronoth Israeli newspaper said that “large crowds” left the hall immediately after Netanyahu took the podium, before he began speaking. Israel’s Channel 12 also published an image showing most seats in the hall empty.

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Netanyahu has been wanted by the ICC since 2024, when the court issued arrest warrants for him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The warrants obligate all 124 states parties to the Rome Statute to arrest and surrender the suspects if they enter their territory.

Since October 8, 2023, the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 73,000 and injured over 175,000 Palestinians, most of whom are children and women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel has also destroyed 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, while the UN has estimated the cost of reconstruction at about $70 billion.

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The walkout by delegations during Netanyahu’s speech reflects the growing international isolation of Israel and the widespread condemnation of its actions in Gaza.

The protests outside the UN headquarters, including by Jewish groups opposed to Zionism and the Israeli government’s policies, underscore the deep divisions within the Jewish community and the broader international community over Israel’s conduct.

The empty hall and the walkout are a powerful symbolic rebuke to Netanyahu and his government, highlighting the gap between Israel’s claims of self-defense and the overwhelming evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity documented by international organizations.

The situation remains tense, with the international community continuing to call for accountability and an end to the genocide in Gaza, while Israel maintains its military aggressions and rejects international criticism.[]

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)