Israeli prime minister addresses UN amid walkouts, protests in New York

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.

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.

Netanyahu has been wanted by the ICC since 2024.

Since Oct. 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.