Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly drew global attention, not for his words, but for the conspicuous absence of listeners.
According to figures released by Israel on Saturday and reported by YNET, 77 national delegations either skipped the session entirely or staged a coordinated walkout as Netanyahu began to speak.
The 41-minute speech was delivered to a visibly sparse audience. All of Israel’s immediate neighbours, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, were among those who stayed away, joined by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, and dozens of other countries spanning Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific. The mass protest underscored the growing diplomatic rift over Israel’s actions in Gaza, where over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in more than two years of conflict, and the entire enclave of over two million people faces a dire humanitarian crisis.
Officials clarified that not every absence was a boycott; some delegates missed the morning session, while others, like Jordan and Egypt, chose not to take their seats without participating in the walkout. Pakistan’s delegation left the hall in protest but remained on the sidelines to listen. In contrast, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, signatories to the Abraham Accords, remained seated despite tensions over the Gaza war.
International and Arab media zeroed in on the dramatic walkout, highlighting the empty chamber rather than Netanyahu’s pledge to “finish the job” against Hamas. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, amplified the protest on social media, calling Israel “the most despised and isolated regime.”
Israel’s own assessment acknowledged that the boycott demonstrated its deepening diplomatic isolation, as frustration with the Gaza conflict continues to mount worldwide. The list of absent or protesting countries included Spain, Brazil, South Africa, Ireland, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and many others from across the globe.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
