Netanyahu Faces Mass Walkout at UNGA as He Vows to 'Finish the Job' in Gaza
At the U.N. General Assembly Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israel "must finish the job" in Gaza, thanked President Trump, accused world leaders of appeasing "evil," said Israel had killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and urged Hamas to surrender and free hostages. The address prompted a mass walkout by nearly all Arab and Muslim states (and several African and some European delegations), left the hall largely empty, and Israel said it broadcast the speech into Gaza via loudspeakers and cell‑phone streams—claims disputed by reporters—while Israeli diplomats called the walkout "staged" and fighting and worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza continued.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.N. General Assembly (speech delivered Sept. 25–26, 2025), vowed that Israel "must finish the job" in Gaza, called on Hamas leaders to surrender and release hostages, publicly thanked President Trump, claimed Israel had assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and wore a hostages pin (with a QR code) while displaying an annotated map titled "THE CURSE."
- A mass walkout occurred during his address — nearly all Arab and Muslim delegations, several African states and a few European countries left the hall, which reporters described as "mostly empty," while the U.S. and U.K. did not have their most senior officials seated in their usual sections and sent more junior diplomats.
- Israeli officials said Netanyahu’s speech was broadcast toward Gaza via loudspeakers around the Strip and streamed to Gazans' cell phones; Israeli media and the prime minister's office described an "unprecedented operation" and Channel 12/other reports said the IDF was ordered to place loudspeakers inside Gaza, but AP/NPR noted no immediate independent confirmation that phone broadcasts were observed by journalists in Gaza.
- Members of the Israeli military and their families issued a joint statement saying troops were ordered to enter Gaza to install loudspeakers and accused political and army leaders of endangering soldiers; opposition leader Yair Lapid called the operation a dangerous publicity stunt, and Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon labeled the walkout "staged," saying many participants were non‑diplomatic staff and criticizing U.N. scheduling during Rosh Hashanah.
- Netanyahu’s flight to New York was reportedly rerouted around countries that refused overflight — in part linked to ICC arrest warrants — and Israel ran a visible "Remember October 7" public awareness campaign in New York (billboards and trucks) ahead of the speech.
- The speech unfolded amid mounting international pressure: this week ten countries (including Britain, France, Canada and Australia) recognized Palestinian statehood, the EU was reported to be weighing tariffs or sanctions in response to Israel’s Gaza offensive, Egypt’s foreign minister publicly accused Israel of genocide at the U.N., and Saudi Arabia warned that failure to end the Gaza war risks escalation while reiterating support for a two‑state solution.
- Humanitarian and security fallout around the address included reports of airstrikes and shootings that killed at least 38 people in Gaza in the hours after the UN speech, Médecins Sans Frontières suspending operations, hospitals described as on the brink of collapse, and U.S. statements (from President Trump) that the U.S. was close to a deal to end fighting and secure hostages.
📍 Contextual Background
- In September 2025, high-speed internet connections and mobile internet services were restricted or shut down in multiple regions of Afghanistan, causing widespread communications outages.
- Under U.S. federal law, attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization is a criminal offense.
- After capturing Kabul in August 2021, the Taliban briefly imposed an internet blackout in the capital.
- During the insurgency following 2001, the Taliban regularly targeted cell towers and caused mobile internet providers such as MTN to leave Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan's internet primarily operates on a national fiber-optic infrastructure owned and operated by Afghan Telecom.
- Department of Defense contingency guidance listed priority missions during a shutdown in the following order: operations to secure the U.S. Southern Border; Middle East operations; the U.S. missile defense project Golden Dome for America; depot maintenance; shipbuilding; and critical munitions.
- As of 2025-09-29, the statutory maximum prison sentence for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is 15 years.
📰 Sources (9)
Israeli diplomat blasts 'staged walkout' ahead of Netanyahu speech, talks holiday scheduling controversy
New information:
- Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon explicitly called the walkout 'staged' and said many participants were non‑diplomatic staff from 'hostile missions.'
- Danon criticized the U.N. for scheduling Middle East talks during Rosh Hashanah, saying Israel was left without representation and calling it hypocritical.
- Danon said Netanyahu's UN address was broadcast on loudspeakers in Gaza and to Gazans' cell phones — a point Netanyahu announced on stage, per Danon's account.
- Danon reported he spoke to the head of the U.N. Security Council seeking to reschedule the discussion but was unsuccessful.
WATCH LIVE: Day 7 of the 2025 United Nations General Assembly
New information:
- Egypt Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty explicitly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza from the U.N. podium and tied regional instability to the situation.
- Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan warned that failure to end the Gaza war risks escalating 'war crimes and acts of genocide' and reiterated Saudi support for a two‑state solution.
- PBS/AP scheduled live coverage note: Day 7 of the UN General Assembly slated to begin Sept. 29, 2025 at 9 a.m. EDT.
Airstrikes, shooting kill at least 38 in Gaza amid calls for ceasefire
New information:
- Provides casualty and strike details tied to the timing of Netanyahu's address (specific deaths across Gaza in the hours after the UN speech).
- Quotes and attribution: includes Netanyahu's 'must finish the job' line and includes President Trump's contemporaneous remarks that the U.S. is close to a deal to end fighting and secure hostages.
- Humanitarian detail: MSF suspension of operations and hospitals described as on the brink of collapse are called out, giving operational context to international reactions at the U.N.
Netanyahu broadcasts United Nations message into Gaza accusing world leaders of appeasing 'evil'
New information:
- Direct quotes from Netanyahu saying his UN speech was 'surrounded Gaza with massive loudspeakers' and streamed through Gazans' cell phones.
- Channel 12 report claim that the IDF was ordered to place loudspeakers and broadcast the speech inside Gaza (not just from the border).
- A joint statement from soldiers and their families saying troops were ordered to enter Gaza to install loudspeakers and accusing the prime minister and army leaders of endangering soldiers.
- Opposition leader Yair Lapid's on-X comment directly accusing Netanyahu of staging a dangerous publicity operation ('not Kim Jong-un...')
At U.N., amid jeers and cheers, Netanyahu says Israel 'must finish the job' in Gaza
New information:
- Reports that the U.S. and U.K. did not send their most senior officials or their U.N. ambassadors to their normal seating sections, which were filled with more junior diplomats.
- Detail that Netanyahu and members of his delegation wore a special hostages pin with a QR code, and that he displayed and annotated a map titled 'THE CURSE' during the address.
- Reporting that the Israeli military set up loudspeakers at the Israel‑Gaza border to broadcast the speech and that the prime minister's office claimed an 'unprecedented operation' to take over mobile phones in Gaza to relay the address — with AP noting no immediate evidence journalists in Gaza observed the phone broadcasts.
- Statement that Netanyahu said Israel had begun negotiations with Syria on security arrangements with Syria's new government.
Israel's Netanyahu addresses U.N. as some delegates walk out
New information:
- Netanyahu publicly thanked U.S. President Donald Trump 'for his bold and decisive action' during the speech.
- The speech included a claim that Israel has assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.
- Netanyahu said he had 'surrounded Gaza with massive loudspeakers' connected to the U.N. microphone so hostages in Gaza could hear his message (direct operational detail).
Netanyahu faces mass walk out protest at UN speech
New information:
- Numerous delegations (nearly all Arab and Muslim countries, several African states and a few European countries) staged an apparent mass walkout as Netanyahu spoke in the UN General Assembly Hall.
- Netanyahu ordered Israeli military loudspeakers around the Gaza Strip to broadcast his UN speech to Palestinians in Gaza.
- Netanyahu claimed Israeli intelligence was live‑streaming his address on phones across Gaza and used the speech to call on Hamas leaders to surrender and release hostages.
- Visual and reporting details: the hall was described as 'mostly empty' while Netanyahu delivered the address.
Netanyahu heads to UN General Assembly as Israel faces unprecedented criticism
New information:
- Netanyahu’s flight to New York was forced to reroute around countries that refused overflight, in part because of ICC arrest warrants.
- Israel launched a visible 'Remember October 7' public awareness campaign in New York (billboards and trucks) ahead of Netanyahu’s UN speech.
- Netanyahu is expected to press President Trump to alter parts of the White House’s 21‑point Gaza plan; the article quotes Trump saying he will block any Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
- An Israeli official/UN ambassador is quoted calling the U.N. General Assembly meeting on Palestinian statehood a 'charade.'
WATCH LIVE: Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu addresses U.N. General Assembly
New information:
- Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled to speak at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 25, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET.
- President Donald Trump told reporters he 'will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.'
- Ten countries, including Britain, France, Canada and Australia, recognized Palestinian statehood this week; the EU is reportedly weighing tariffs or sanctions in reaction to Israel’s Gaza offensive.