Netanyahu’s UN Visit Sparks Protests and Walkouts

More than 100 people were arrested in New York during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to address the United Nations General Assembly. The New York Police Department said 103 people were detained for disorderly conduct and later released. Organisers said nine of those arrested were elected officials or candidates, including Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 13th congressional district. Earlier Thursday, more than 400 people joined a sit-in near UN headquarters led by Jewish Voice for Peace and the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Protesters blocked part of First Avenue and called for accountability over Israel’s war on Gaza and an end to US military support. They also highlighted New York’s role in military shipments to Israel. On the previous day, NYC-DSA had called at JFK airport for military and explosive cargo shipments to be halted and for greater transparency about past shipments. Hours after the sit-in, thousands more marched toward the UN in a separate demonstration organised by the Palestinian Youth Movement and The People’s Forum. Participants described Netanyahu as a war criminal and called on international leaders and the US government to act over Gaza. At the UN, Netanyahu rejected accusations of genocide, describing them as the “greatest lie of the century,” and said Israel had taken steps to protect Palestinian civilians. He also accused New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism and of spreading lies about Israel. Mamdani rejected Netanyahu’s claims as “baseless lies” and noted that the prime minister is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. Although Mamdani had campaigned on arresting Netanyahu if he visited New York, he has since acknowledged that he lacks the authority to do so. Protesters said they would continue demonstrating until the war ended.

New York City police arrested about 100 protesters outside United Nations headquarters on September 25, 2026, as demonstrators gathered ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly. Those arrested included actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder, Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, and New York City Council member Chi Osse. The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and drew about 200 people wearing white shirts with slogans such as “Fund people not bombs,” “No war” and “Free Palestine.” After protesters blocked traffic, police ordered them to move. Some went to the sidewalks, while officers surrounded those who remained seated and chanting before escorting them to police buses. Protester Manijeh Moradian, a university professor of Iranian and Jewish heritage, said that the destruction of Gaza was being carried out in the protesters’ name and with their tax dollars, and argued that Netanyahu should not use the UN platform to justify what she called atrocities. At the General Assembly, Netanyahu defended Israel’s actions in the Middle East as he sought to counter growing international isolation ahead of upcoming Israeli elections. Dozens of delegates left the hall during his speech. Separately, pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered on the steps of the New York Public Library, displaying Palestinian flags and banners opposing Zionism and supporting Palestinian freedom. Rabbi Yitzchok Deutsch of Neturei Karta International accused Netanyahu of using Jewish religion and identity to justify crimes and praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Another protester, Melissa Zuniga, questioned Netanyahu’s appearance at the UN, citing an international arrest warrant. The article reports on the arrests and demonstrations, alongside protesters’ objections to Netanyahu’s speech and Israel’s actions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his speech to the UN General Assembly to defend Israeli military operations in Iran, Gaza and elsewhere, reject accusations of genocide, and attack international critics. Dozens of delegates walked out as he began speaking. Netanyahu called on any remaining delegates he described as “moral cowards” to leave and insisted Israel would continue fighting. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing the assembly by video after being denied a US entry visa, condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that they threatened Palestinians and the two-state solution. Netanyahu criticised leaders in Britain and France, called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “tyrant,” and accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of making Jews feel unsafe. Turkey’s communications director and Mamdani’s office rejected his remarks. Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump and the joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran. The article places the speech in the context of Netanyahu’s political challenges. With an Israeli election approaching, he faces criticism over security failures surrounding the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack and a coalition trailing in polls. His defiant performance may be used to reinforce his image as the leader best able to confront Israel’s international critics. Meanwhile, US public support for Israel is increasingly divided, including among Republicans and Trump’s Maga base. Protests in New York led to several detentions, including actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder, congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, and city council member Chi Osse. The article also provides context on the conflict: the 2023 Hamas attack killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages; Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports more than 73,920 deaths during Israel’s military campaign. Israel denies committing genocide and says its campaign is self-defence, while the International Association of Genocide Scholars has concluded that Israel’s conduct meets the UN convention’s legal definition. The report also describes the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks.

The article reports that about 100 people were detained by New York police during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The demonstration took place as Netanyahu was preparing to address the United Nations General Assembly. Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon and Emmy-winning actor Hannah Einbinder were among those reported to have been detained. Police handcuffed and led Sarandon away, while the New York Post reported that Einbinder was also frogmarched from the demonstration. The protest was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace. Participants blocked traffic and carried banners bearing the messages “Stop Arming Israel” and “End the Genocide.” The report describes the arrests and identifies prominent participants, the organiser, and the timing of the action in relation to Netanyahu’s planned diplomatic speech. It does not provide details about charges, the duration of the detentions, the police response beyond the arrests, or statements from the organisers or those detained. The article is a brief news account and offers no further context about the protest or the wider Israel-Gaza war.

Actresses Hannah Einbinder and Susan Sarandon were detained during a pro-Palestine sit-in outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly. The demonstration opposed Netanyahu’s visit and Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Organisers, Jewish Voice for Peace, said more than 100 people were arrested; the New York Police Department did not specifically confirm the arrests of Einbinder and Sarandon. Photos and social media footage showed both actresses being taken into custody. Einbinder shouted “Netanyahu out of New York” and later said on Instagram that attention should remain on the war rather than the celebrities at the protest. She described Israel’s campaign as a “devastating genocidal war” and shared a donation link for Pal Humanity, a Gaza-founded medical and humanitarian organisation. Einbinder, who is Jewish, has previously voiced support for Palestinians, including in her Emmy acceptance speech. Sarandon has also attended demonstrations and said at the Venice Film Festival that her political views had led to professional repercussions, including lost film work. Other prominent attendees included Cynthia Nixon, Elliot Page, Indya Moore, Sarah Sherman, Mary Beth Barone, Caleb Hearon, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. Nixon and Page attended but were not detained, according to their representatives. Protesters held signs calling to free Palestine and stop arming Israel, and chanted accusations against Netanyahu. The protest coincided with a walkout by dozens of UN delegates as Netanyahu began his speech. A nearby billboard called him a “war criminal,” referencing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. Netanyahu rejected allegations of genocide as “the biggest lie of the century” and called opponents “phoney human rights protesters.” Gaza’s Health Ministry says 73,928 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack in southern Israel killed 1,200 people.

The National’s page is a live-update roundup from the 2026 United Nations General Assembly, updated on September 25, 2026, at 4:36 a.m. Its lead item reports that delegates walked out while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech. The headline and accompanying update say Netanyahu thanked US President Donald Trump for what he called “bold leadership” in the war against Iran. Another prominent item quotes Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejecting displacement, saying Palestinians would not leave their homeland. The page also notes that Abbas addressed the assembly in a recorded message after being denied a visa. Other listed developments include a rare meeting between Lebanese and Iranian leaders and Kuwait’s accusation that Iran was using the Strait of Hormuz as a “bargaining chip.” New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is quoted accusing Netanyahu of trying to “sanitise genocide of Palestinians.” The video links indicate further coverage of speeches and reactions: Iran’s president delivered a defiant address, a US delegate walked out during Iran’s speech, and Syria’s Ahmed al-Shara called for an Israeli withdrawal. Additional clips feature the UN refugee chief and Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister discussing refugee needs and Yemen’s unity. A UN warning about food insecurity connects disruption in the Strait of Hormuz with fertilizer supplies. The supplied page content consists mainly of headlines and video captions rather than the full text of the live blog. It does not provide detailed accounts of the speeches, the walkout, the leaders’ meeting, or the underlying disputes. Overall, it presents a snapshot of sharply conflicting positions and regional tensions discussed at the General Assembly, with emphasis on Iran, Israel and Palestine, the Strait of Hormuz, and related humanitarian and security concerns.

Al Jazeera reports on a Free Palestine march where Jewish demonstrators protested against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rejected his claim to represent Jews. The report is presented by Al Jazeera’s Emma Withrow, who reports from the march. It also notes that a pro-Israel protest took place nearby, where demonstrators called for Israel to “finish the job.” The brief item thus describes two opposing demonstrations in close proximity: one challenging Netanyahu’s claim to speak for Jews and supporting the Free Palestine march, and another expressing a forceful pro-Israel position. The article does not provide the location of either protest, the size of the crowds, the organizers, or additional comments from participants. It also does not explain the specific context behind the phrase used at the pro-Israel protest. The report’s central focus is the presence of Jewish demonstrators among those denouncing Netanyahu, alongside the contrast with the nearby pro-Israel demonstration. No further details about the march or the events surrounding it are included in the supplied text.