LAST UPDATE | 22 hrs ago

DOZENS OF DELEGATES at the UN General Assembly walked out en masse as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the podium to deliver his address in New York today.

There were chants in support of Palestine from delegates, as well as cheers from the Israeli delegation as Netanyahu watched people exit the room.

“If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left this hall, please do so now,” Netanyahu said.

The hall, sparsely filled earlier in the session, had gradually filled up before Netanyahu’s speech.

Ireland’s delegation did not participate in the walkout.

The Department of Foreign Affairs initially did not respond to multiple queries from travelling Irish journalists in New York asking if Ireland participated, but footage showed a member of the Irish delegation remained seated.

Almost two hours after the walkout occurred, a spokesperson for the Department confirmed that the Irish delegation did not participate.

“Ireland has been represented in the UN General Assembly for all national statements during High-Level Week, even when these are being delivered by representatives of governments with which we vehemently disagree,” the statement read.

This came after Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said earlier today that she did not foresee Ireland participating if there was a walkout.

In his address, Netanyahu attacked Britain and France for their past colonial empires.

“They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism – some colonialism. And who’s accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God’s sakes, they invented the term,” he told the UN General Assembly.

The Israeli prime minister also took aim at New York’s mayor Zohran Mamdani, Iran, and Turkey’s president. He accused the global press of “spreading lies” about Israel, and said Israel’s conduct in Gaza is “the opposite of genocide”.

Meanwhile, he gave thanks to US president Donald Trump.

“In this battle against the barbarians, we’ve had no greater partner than President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “I thank him for his bold leadership.

“Israel and America acted together, not only to protect ourselves, but to save civilisation,” he said.

Irish delegation

McEntee at the UN headquarters today. The Journal The Journal

Speaking to reporters in New York today, McEntee said it will be a decision for each UN member state to make themselves, but that she does not “foresee” Ireland joining one if it happens during Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech.

“We have had somebody in the seat for every single speech that has taken place since the beginning of this week, and I expect that that will probably continue,” McEntee said.

“I think that that will probably continue towards the end of the week, but again, whether that changes or not, I suppose I don’t foresee that at the minute.”

Asked whether it is appropriate for an Irish delegation to remain in the room for the speech, given the Irish State’s vocal opposition to Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza, the minister said:

“There are many things that have been said that we don’t agree with. There are many things that we do not support. The decision was taken that we would have somebody in that seat for every single speech, including the one that you’ve mentioned.”

She added that she believes it is important “that particularly where we disagree vehemently with countries…that we clearly understand exactly what they’re saying as well”.

Netanyahu delivered his speech at the 81st annual gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New York shortly after 2pm US time this afternoon (7pm Irish time). 

Netanyahu’s attack on Mamdani came after he recently vowed to execute an ICC arrest warrant when the visiting leader arrived in the city for the UN’s signature gathering. Mamdani later acknowledged that he did not have the legal authority to do so.

Netanyahu faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, but neither Israel nor the United States accepts the court and leaders visiting the United Nations are generally immune from US authorities.

Earlier this week in a social media video, Netanyahu accused Mamdani of being a supporter of Hamas, remarks that were criticised by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who met with Mamdani on Wednesday while in New York. 

“Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews,” Netanyahu said, in apparent reference to a series of antisemitic attacks in the US city.

“I’m coming to the UN, I’m going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers and I’m going to tell the truth about you,” he said.

Mamdani has described the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 as a “horrific war crime” and has condemned violence against Jews in New York. He marked the holiest Jewish day of Yom Kippur on Monday.

Reacting to Netanyahu’s comments on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said he rejected them outright and noted that the prime minister is in the midst of a general election in Israel. 

“We need to be careful that we’re not deliberately being sucked into that campaign in a way that might be advantageous to some,” he said.

“I think Mayor Mamdani, first of all, he has been a very effective mayor […] he has won a very significant mandate here, and I think Prime Minister Netanyahu and others should respect his mandate and not endeavour to undermine it or cast doubt on it,” he said. 

With reporting from AFP and Emma Hickey