Benjamin Netanyahu faces UN walkouts and New York protests

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York was met with significant diplomatic and public demonstrations. During his speech, numerous international delegates walked out of the assembly hall in a coordinated display of rejection regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza. Netanyahu responded to the walkout from the podium, referring to those leaving as “moral cowards.”

Simultaneously, large-scale protests organized by Jewish Voice for Peace took place near the UN headquarters. Demonstrators blocked intersections to protest U.S. military support for Israel and to advocate for Palestinian rights. The New York Police Department (NYPD) arrested over 100 individuals after protesters ignored orders to clear the streets. Notable detainees included actresses Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder, as well as Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and various New York City Council members.