Netanyahu’s UN Speech Sparks Walkouts and Protests as He Targets NYC Mayor Mamdani
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a wave of walkouts and protests as he addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Dozens of delegates exited the hall as he began speaking, while demonstrators gathered outside the United Nations in New York, chanting and holding signs opposing his presence and calling for an end to US military support for Israel. In response, Netanyahu labelled the departing diplomats as “moral cowards” and invited any remaining delegates who wished to leave to do so.
A significant portion of Netanyahu’s address focused on New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The prime minister’s decision to single out a local US official underscored the increasingly polarized debate over the conflict. Meanwhile, polling data indicates a significant age divide in attitudes toward Israel, the Palestinians, and their respective political leadership, suggesting shifting generational perspectives on the issue.
The walkout echoed a similar protest in September 2011, when diplomats left the hall after then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacked the US and other major powers as militarist and imperialist. Such actions are not unprecedented at the UNGA, the organization’s main deliberative forum that brings together representatives from nearly every country. Importantly, participating in a walkout does not necessarily mean that all countries involved share an identical position on the underlying dispute, but it serves as a visible expression of dissent.
The protests outside the UN and the walkout inside reflect deep divisions over Israel’s policies and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. As Netanyahu’s speech unfolded, the contrast between his defiant tone and the demonstrators’ calls for change highlighted the international tensions surrounding the issue. The event also drew attention to the role of local leaders like Mamdani in shaping the discourse, further complicating the diplomatic landscape.
Shimanta Das 
