Netanyahu brandishes pager at empty UN seats, calls walkouts 'cowards'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held up a pager during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, referencing an operation that targeted communication devices used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon in September 2024.

In his speech, Netanyahu recalled the detonation of thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah operatives in coordinated attacks on September 17, 2024, which, according to available data, killed 12 people and injured more than 3,000 others, including two children.

Netanyahu's display of the pager came as the General Assembly hall saw a protest against his speech, with dozens of delegations leaving the chamber amid boos and applause, leaving many seats empty after their departure.

Media sources estimated that around 77 delegations exited the hall, according to the Associated Press, while other reports said the walkout followed a call from the Palestinian mission at the UN urging diplomatic missions to join the protest during Netanyahu's address.

Netanyahu opened his remarks by criticizing the delegations that left, calling those who walked out "morally cowardly" before continuing his speech to a hall with many empty seats.