The Philippines, one of Israel’s longest-standing allies in Asia, joined more than 70 countries in a mass walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, according to Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Enrique Manalo and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
As Netanyahu approached the rostrum, the General Assembly chamber erupted in a mix of applause, boos and coordinated walkouts. Scores of diplomats filed out of the hall, leaving large sections of the chamber noticeably empty.
‘Order in the hall, please,’ General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman repeatedly appealed as delegates exited.
Netanyahu responded defiantly.
‘If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left this hall, please do so now,’ he said.
While the UN’s live television feed showed numerous empty seats throughout the session, camera angles did not fully capture the section where the Philippine delegation was seated.
Asked by BusinessMirror whether the Philippines had joined the walkout, Manalo replied simply: ‘Yes,’ declining to elaborate further.
The DFA later confirmed the move, saying it was consistent with the Philippines’s position on the Middle East peace process and its concerns over developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
‘Yes, the Philippines joined the walkout in global solidarity for peace in the Middle East and the call for all parties to desist from unilateral actions that erode the conditions for peace and undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state,’ DFA spokesperson Analyn Ratonel told the BusinessMirror.
‘The Philippines is deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and notes with alarm Israel’s efforts to advance the E1 settlement plan and the continued rise of settler violence in the West Bank. These actions are detrimental to finding a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Middle East conflict.
The Philippines has always supported the two-state solution as the viable path to peace in the region.’
The Philippine participation in the walkout was notable given the historically close ties between Manila and Jerusalem.
The Philippines was among the few Asian countries that welcomed Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution during World War II under President Manuel L. Quezon.
In 1947, it became the first Asian country to vote in favor of United Nations Resolution 181, which recommended the partition of Palestine and paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel.
The two countries have maintained warm relations for decades, with Israel often describing the Philippines as one of its closest friends in Asia. The special relationship has also been reflected diplomatically. For several years, the Philippine ambassador served as dean of the diplomatic corps in Israel, representing the collective interests of foreign envoys accredited to the Israeli government.
Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported that countries participating in the walkout included Trkiye, Palestine, Tunisia, Syria, Algeria, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, Qatar, Lebanon, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kuwait.
Delegations from Spain, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Nigeria, Ghana, Libya, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Oman, Niger, Madagascar, Botswana, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde and several other countries also either walked out or remained absent from the session.
The Iranian delegation reportedly left a photograph of Qassem Soleimani, the slain commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, on its table before departing.
According to Anadolu, the United States, Germany, Argentina, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Czechia and Greece remained in the chamber during Netanyahu’s address. Delegations from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, also stayed in their seats.
China, which has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, was represented by a lone diplomat.
Other countries present during the speech included Australia, Austria, Canada, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Kenya and El Salvador. Al Jazeera separately reported that Ethiopia, Italy, Finland, Senegal, Mozambique and Somalia also remained represented in the hall.
The walkout left visible gaps across the General Assembly chamber and underscored Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation as the Gaza war enters its third year and international divisions over the conflict continue to deepen.
Despite the walkout, the Israeli leader pressed ahead with his address, dismissing allegations of genocide as ‘the biggest lie of the century’ and defending Israel’s military operations against Hamas and Iran.
‘In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,’ Netanyahu said.
‘In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes.’
Netanyahu argued that the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel, left his government with no choice but to wage war against the militant group.
The Israeli leader also defended attacks against Iran, predicted the eventual collapse of the Iranian government, and dismissed criticism over Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.
His appearance came after days of speeches by world leaders condemning Israel’s conduct in Gaza and accusing his government of undermining prospects for a Palestinian state.