Netanyahu's UN Speech Sparks Walkouts and Tensions Over Palestinian Recognition

Fri Oct 17 2025 21:50:04 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced backlash during his recent speech at the UN General Assembly, where he condemned Palestinian state recognition efforts by Western nations, leading to mass walkouts by diplomats and heightened protests outside the venue.

During a confrontational address at the UN, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the recognition of Palestinian statehood by multiple Western nations, calling it a 'mark of shame' and framing it as a reward for violence. His speech prompted a significant walkout by officials and drew protests in support of Gaza. Netanyahu emphasized Israel's military actions against Iranian proxies and rejected accusations of genocide or the deliberate hindrance of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The speech has intensified discussions around the ongoing conflict, with calls for peace from Palestinian leaders and criticism from Israeli opposition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has attacked the recognition of a Palestinian state by multiple Western countries during a combative speech at the UN General Assembly.

Netanyahu labelled the recognition moves a mark of shame that sent the message that murdering Jews pays off.

Dozens of officials and diplomats staged a walk-out as he took to the podium, leaving large parts of the conference hall empty. Outside, protesters against Israel's war in Gaza gathered in Times Square.

Israel has come under huge international pressure over its military action in Gaza, culminating in the UK, France, Canada, Australia and other countries recognizing a Palestinian state this week.

In his opening remarks, Netanyahu displayed a map labelled The Curse that he said showed Iranian proxy groups across the Middle East. He then highlighted Israeli military operations over the past year against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran.

He thanked US President Donald Trump for American involvement in bombing Iran's Fordo nuclear site in June, and drew parallels between Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and the 9/11 attack on the US. He claimed the two countries were fighting the same enemies, pointing to chants of death to America by groups linked to Iran.

The Israeli prime minister reiterated that Israel would not allow a Palestinian state to exist, asserting that this position was supported by the vast majority of Israelis. He also refuted a UN commission's assertion that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, calling the charge baseless.

In an unusual move, Netanyahu's office ordered loudspeakers to broadcast his speech live across the Gaza perimeter, claiming the intention was for the message to reach Israeli hostages there. However, reports suggested that the intended audience did not receive the broadcast.

Netanyahu's speech concluded amidst rising criticism from his political rivals in Israel, highlighting the deepening divisions and ongoing debate regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the international arena.