UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech

A large number of delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to address the organization.

Video footage showed long lines of delegates headed for the exits of the room. A UN official was heard calling for order multiple times before Netanyahu began to speak.

The Israeli leader then urged all remaining "moral cowards" to leave the room.

Netanyahu is currently the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to answer for an alleged genocide in Gaza. Israel and the U.S. have condemned the warrant, asserting it was illegitimate.

But while the Israeli leader is unlikely to face arrest, he has little recourse to address his personal loss of international prestige. Netanyahu has long been the face of the Israeli government and a focal point for criticism of its activities in Gaza and the West Bank.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.