Netanyahu’s speech to ‘half empty’ UN hall gets mixed reviews

Some delegates who walked out represented countries that have recently restored diplomatic ties with Israel, including Chile, Slovenia and Colombia.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s military campaigns and rejected genocide accusations at the UN General Assembly on Thursday night as delegates from at least 77 countries walked out during an address that also drew applause and support from some representatives and commentators.

Most of those leaving the chamber represented Arab and non-Arab African countries.

However, the walkout also included delegates from countries that have recently restored diplomatic ties with Israel, including Chile, Slovenia and Colombia.

Responding as representatives departed, Netanyahu said, “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left the hall, please do so now.”

Netanyahu defended Israeli military operations, including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as necessary for Israel’s survival and dismissed genocide allegations over the Gaza war as disinformation.

He also criticized several foreign leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Some delegates, including American representatives, remained in the chamber and applauded portions of the address, The Hill reported.

Israeli journalist and Channel 14 commentator Shimon Riklin described the speech as “excellent and important,” saying it identified Israel’s adversaries and detailed the country’s actions against them.

Turkey, meanwhile, rejected Netanyahu’s remarks about Erdogan, whom he called a “tyrant,” accused of aligning with Hamas and suggested was seeking to take over Jerusalem.

Turkish presidency communications director Burhanettin Duran said the accusations were “incompatible” with the UN’s “ideals of peace, law and dialogue,” Anadolu reported.

He said Netanyahu’s remarks could not “make his massacres, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the proceedings before international law invisible.”

Qatari Deputy Ambassador to the US Hamad Al-Muftah also criticized Netanyahu, describing a “half-empty room” that “says plenty about the support for this message.”

He rejected Netanyahu’s allegations about Qatari university funding and defended Doha’s contacts with Hamas as part of mediation involving the US, Egypt and Israel.