Netanyahu's UN Speech Drew a Walkout Inside and Arrests Outside
Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September during the General Debate of its 81st session, as dozens of delegates walked out of the hall and police arrested more than 100 protesters outside. UN Media
The walkout began as he took the stage. Delegates rose in large numbers and left the Assembly Hall. A separate video report also described dozens of delegates walking out when the speech began. The Guardian The session is presided over by H.E. Mr. Khalilur Rahman as President of the 81st session. Israel's Prime Minister's Office had announced on 23/09/26 that Netanyahu would address the UNGA and meet with world leaders. An Israeli government page dated 22 September 2026 had described the speech as taking place in two days.
In the address, Netanyahu said Israel's war in Gaza was the "opposite of a genocide." He also labelled New York mayor Zohran Mamdani as antisemitic. Those formulations come from contemporaneous reporting from inside the hall. The official Israeli account was published under the title 'PM Netanyahu addresses the United Nations General Assembly' for 24 Sep 2026. Israel's Prime Minister's Office In that version, Netanyahu said he vowed to prevent Iran from developing atomic bombs aimed at destroying Israel. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs listed the appearance as 'PM Netanyahu addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York' as an Events and Speeches item dated 24/09/26.
Outside, large groups of protesters gathered in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday, 24 September, to demonstrate against Netanyahu. Police made arrests outside United Nations headquarters through the day. Early reporting on Thursday put the number at at least 30 people, including actors and politicians. Reuters Later reporting updated the total to more than 100 people arrested at the protests. Among those arrested were Susan Sarandon, Chelsea Manning and Caleb Hearon. The arrests occurred during demonstrations specifically opposing Netanyahu's appearance at the General Assembly. UN documentation places the address on 24 September. UN News published 'The Takeaway: UN General Assembly debate Day 3' on 25 September 2026, situating the speech within the sequence of General Debate statements. The General Debate is the part of the session when each leader in turn gets the same podium, much like a scheduled open forum.
The broader context here is procedural as much as political. The General Debate gives every leader the same podium. It also gives other delegations an equal and visible vocabulary of response. A walkout is legible to practitioners. It registers dissent without interrupting the proceedings. It avoids a direct confrontation inside the hall while ensuring the cameras record absence.
Looking at what this means for diplomats in the room and on the margins, the split between inside and outside matters. Inside, the tools are formal and restrained. Delegations walk out, reserve their own speaking slots, and prepare replies. Outside, protest and arrest totals shape public perception of the visit in the host city. For those tracking follow-through, the items to watch are the bilateral, or one-on-one, meetings flagged in advance by the Prime Minister's Office, the subsequent explanations of vote and statements in the Assembly and Security Council, and how the language used in New York is carried back into domestic debate in Israel and the United States.
