# Netanyahu Calls UN Walkout Delegates 'Moral Cowards'

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/netanyahu-calls-un-walkout-delegates-moral-cowards
- Published: 2026-09-25T07:10:41.524353+00:00
- Topics: netanyahu, united-nations, israel-gaza-war, diplomacy, protests

## What the left says
- The walkout reflects deep and widespread objection to Israel's conduct in Gaza, which many delegates and world leaders have described as genocidal, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
- Netanyahu's dismissal of critics as 'moral cowards' sidesteps substantive accusations of war crimes, including the outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
- Mass protests outside the UN, including over 100 arrests, show that opposition to Netanyahu's visit extends well beyond diplomatic circles into broad public sentiment among Jewish, Palestinian, and other communities.
- Abbas was barred from attending in person after the US denied him a visa, underscoring an imbalance in whose voices are able to be heard directly at the UN.

## What the right says
- Netanyahu frames Israel's military actions, including the strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, as necessary self-defense that also protected other nations from a nuclear-armed Iran.
- He argues that leaders who criticize Israel publicly have privately thanked Israel for neutralizing the Iranian nuclear threat, pointing to what he calls hypocrisy among critics.
- Netanyahu firmly rejects genocide allegations against Israel as false and inflammatory, calling them 'the biggest lie of the century.'
- He views accusations of colonialism from European nations as particularly hypocritical given their own historical roles in colonization.

## Common ground
- Dozens of UN delegates walked out as Netanyahu began his speech, and he responded by calling them 'moral cowards.'
- Netanyahu addressed Israel's military campaigns in Iran, Gaza, and elsewhere in the Middle East during his UN speech.
- Mahmoud Abbas addressed the General Assembly remotely after being denied a US entry visa.
- Significant protests took place outside the UN in New York City in connection with Netanyahu's visit.

## Sources
- [BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3y0z7kxlegdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) (Center)
- [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/watch-mass-walkout-before-netanyahu-speech-prompts-fiery-response-israeli-prime-minister) (Right)
- [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/netanyahu-speech-prompts-walkout-protests-270485061836) (Lean Left)
- [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/world/middleeast/netanyahu-israel-un.html) (Lean Left)
- [PBS NewsHour](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-netanyahu-calls-allegations-of-genocide-in-gaza-the-biggest-lie) (Lean Left)
- [PBS NewsHour](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-israeli-prime-minister-netanyahu-addresses-2026-un-general-assembly) (Lean Left)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/netanyahu-un-protests) (Left)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/sep/24/un-delegates-walkout-netanyahu-speech) (Left)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6107815-live-updates-trump-xi-summit-media-ban-ruling-fda/) (Center)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/international/6110373-israel-netanyahu-speech-united-nations-defiant/) (Center)

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