# Delegates Walk Out as Netanyahu Calls Them 'Moral Cowards'

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/delegates-walk-out-as-netanyahu-calls-them-moral-cowards
- Published: 2026-09-24T19:09:54.919004+00:00
- Topics: netanyahu, united-nations, israel-gaza-war, protests, diplomacy

## What the left says
- Israel faces mounting international condemnation over its conduct in Gaza, including a UN commission of inquiry accusation of genocide and an ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu, making the walkout an expression of accountability demands rather than mere disrespect
- Hundreds of Jewish, Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese New Yorkers joined celebrities and elected officials in mass protests outside the UN, reflecting a broad, diverse coalition opposed to the war's continuation
- Public opinion in the US has shifted sharply against Israel, with unfavorable views rising from 42% in 2022 to 60% now, suggesting Netanyahu's isolation reflects a deeper erosion of political support rather than a fringe reaction
- Protesters frame their actions around ending civilian suffering, using messaging like 'Fund people not bombs' and 'Let Gaza live' to center Palestinian lives amid a death toll exceeding 73,000

## What the right says
- Netanyahu's 'moral cowards' remark calls out delegates who refuse to hear Israel's perspective on its fight against Hamas and Iranian-backed threats, framing the walkout as diplomatic bias rather than principled protest
- The ICC arrest warrant and UN genocide accusations are widely viewed by Israel and its allies as illegitimate and politically motivated, undermining the credibility of international bodies rather than Israel's conduct
- The protests draw on a familiar activist network, including figures like Susan Sarandon and Chelsea Manning, that critics see as consistently aligned against Israel regardless of the facts on the ground
- Israel's military campaign is presented as a necessary response to the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, a context that gets lost amid focus on the walkout and protests

## Common ground
- Dozens of UN delegates walked out during Netanyahu's speech while the Israeli delegation remained and cheered
- Large protests occurred outside UN headquarters in New York, resulting in roughly 100 arrests including Susan Sarandon and Chelsea Manning
- The war was triggered by the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages
- Gaza's health ministry reports more than 73,920 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing military campaign

## Sources
- [BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cqwyzmpm3pgdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) (Center)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/netanyahu-un-protests) (Left)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6107815-live-updates-trump-xi-summit-media-ban-ruling-fda/) (Center)
- [RedState](https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2026/09/24/protests-break-out-in-nyc-ahead-of-netanyahus-speech-and-some-of-the-usual-suspects-are-there-n2207345) (Unknown)
- [Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/netanyahu-un-speech-protests-12485103) (Lean Right)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/video-clips/6108255-watch-live-benjamin-netanyahu-israel-us-iran-gaza-unga/) (Center)
- [Just The News](https://justthenews.com/government/security/un-delegates-walk-out-netanyahu-speech?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators) (Right)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2026/sep/24/netanyahu-israel-stateside-podcast) (Left)

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