Philippines was among the dozens of nations that staged a dramatic walkout at the United Nations on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium to defend his country’s military campaign in Gaza.
The Philippines was among those that left the chamber, in what Manila described as an act of “global solidarity for peace in the Middle East.”
Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesperson Analyn Ratonel confirmed the delegation’s participation, saying the walkout was also a call for all parties to avoid unilateral actions that could further undermine the prospects for peace and a future Palestinian state.
The striking scene unfolded at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York as Netanyahu approached the lectern.
Delegates rose from their seats and filed out of the chamber, leaving rows of chairs empty behind them. Some were seen booing, while others walked out without a word.
Netanyahu responded angrily, branding the departing diplomats “moral cowards” and challenging those who remained to follow them.
The Philippines, meanwhile, reiterated its support for a two-state solution. Ratonel said Manila was deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel’s advancement of the controversial E1 settlement plan, and continuing settler violence in the West Bank.
She said such developments were “detrimental to finding a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Middle East conflict.”
Nearly 70 countries were reported to have either walked out or left their seats vacant during Netanyahu’s appearance.
Among the countries identified in footage reviews were Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh, along with other nations from the Arab world, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that its delegation had joined the walkout. But Netanyahu pressed ahead.
During a defiant 40-minute speech, the Israeli leader rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza and defended Israel’s military operations. He also took aim at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while supporters in the gallery interrupted proceedings with chants in Hebrew.
The chamber’s president repeatedly called for order as the disruption continued.
The confrontation, however, was not new. Netanyahu has faced similar mass walkouts during his previous appearances at the United Nations, making Thursday’s protest the third consecutive year in which diplomats have staged such a demonstration.
Manila’s participation in the walkout was a public expression of support for diplomacy and a two-state solution, and opposition to actions it says could further undermine the possibility of a lasting settlement.
Whether the empty seats will have any impact beyond the UN chamber remains uncertain. But the spectacle was impossible to miss: as Netanyahu spoke, diplomats from dozens of countries had already turned their backs and walked away.
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