Benjamin Netanyahu’s UNGA speech: Which prominent Muslim countries did not boycott and why? Explained

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) witnessed a dramatic diplomatic moment on Thursday when dozens of country delegations left the hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium for his address. The emptying of seats was particularly striking because it happened at the beginning of a speech that was expected to focus heavily on Israel’s wars in Iran and Gaza and its wider confrontation with regional adversaries. However, Netanyahu faced the walkout head-on, telling those who remained in the hall: “Before I begin, just a quick announcement: if there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now. Thank you very much.”

According to reports, delegations from as many as 77 countries were either absent from the hall or left as Netanyahu began speaking. The list included several Arab and Muslim-majority countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Oman, and Iraq. However, the absence of several prominent Muslim-majority countries from that list also attracted attention. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco, and Azerbaijan remained notable exceptions. So, why did these four countries choose not to join the protest?

What happened during Netanyahu’s UNGA speech?

Netanyahu’s appearance at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly came against the backdrop of continuing conflict in Gaza and wider military tensions involving Israel and Iran. As he approached the podium, a large number of delegations left the chamber, creating a visibly sparse audience for the Israeli Prime Minister. The reported list of 77 included countries from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. There is an important qualification to the figure. The 77-country count does not necessarily mean that every one of those delegations staged a coordinated walkout. Some were reportedly not in the chamber when Netanyahu began his speech, while others actually left as he took the podium.

Netanyahu nevertheless used the moment to attack the delegations that had departed. During his address, he defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza, Iran, and elsewhere in the region while also speaking about what he described as rising anti-Semitism and calling on Jews around the world to remain confident in the face of threats.

Which prominent Muslim countries stayed?

Four Muslim-majority countries stood out because they did not appear on the reported list of 77 delegations absent or leaving the chamber — the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Azerbaijan.

Their decisions are particularly significant because all four have maintained varying degrees of diplomatic and strategic engagement with Israel, despite the sharp disagreements across the Muslim world over the Gaza war and Israel’s wider military operations.

The UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco have established formal diplomatic relations with Israel through the wave of normalization agreements associated with the Abraham Accords. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has developed a separate strategic partnership with Israel over several decades, particularly in defence, energy, and regional security.

What are the Abraham Accords?

The Abraham Accords refer to a series of US-backed agreements that led to the normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries. The UAE and Bahrain formally signed agreements with Israel in September 2020. Morocco followed with a normalization agreement in December 2020. The agreements opened or restored diplomatic channels and encouraged cooperation in areas such as trade, tourism, investment, technology, and security.

The UAE-Israel agreement established a treaty of peace, diplomatic relations, and full normalisation between the two countries. Bahrain also signed a declaration supporting peace and normalisation with Israel. Morocco and Israel subsequently signed a joint declaration establishing diplomatic and consular relations.

The Accords did not mean that these countries stopped supporting Palestinian statehood or abandoned their differences with Israel over the Palestinian issue. Instead, they created formal diplomatic channels that allowed the countries involved to continue dialogue even during periods of severe regional tension.

Why did the UAE stay during Netanyahu’s speech?

The UAE was one of the first Arab countries to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. The agreement was formally signed in September 2020 and was followed by the establishment of diplomatic missions and expanding economic links.

The UAE has also maintained communication with Israel despite major disagreements over the Gaza war. Its approach has involved keeping diplomatic channels open while separately expressing positions on the Palestinian issue and humanitarian concerns.

Why did Bahrain stay?

Bahrain was another key Arab signatory of the Abraham Accords. Bahrain and Israel established formal diplomatic relations in 2020, creating direct government-to-government channels that had not previously existed. 

Bahrain’s decision was particularly notable because several other Gulf Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, were among the countries listed as absent or leaving during Netanyahu’s address.

Why did Morocco stay despite the Gaza tensions?

Morocco’s position is somewhat more nuanced. The North African country is part of the group of countries whose normalization with Israel is commonly discussed under the Abraham Accords framework. However, unlike the UAE and Bahrain, Morocco did not sign the original September 2020 Abraham Accords declaration alongside Israel and the UAE and Bahrain. Instead, Morocco and Israel announced their normalization agreement in December 2020. US officials subsequently treated Morocco’s normalization as part of the broader Abraham Accords process. Morocco and Israel have since maintained diplomatic and economic channels.

Why did Azerbaijan not boycott Netanyahu’s speech?

Azerbaijan’s case is different from that of the three Arab countries, as it is not a signatory to the Abraham Accords. Its decision to maintain its presence is better understood through the long-standing strategic relationship between Baku and Tel Aviv. Israel and Azerbaijan have developed extensive cooperation in defence, security, energy, trade, and technology. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry described the relationship as a strategic partnership in a January 2026 meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers.

Defence and military cooperation

Defence cooperation is one of the most important components of the Azerbaijan-Israel relationship. Azerbaijan has been a major customer of Israeli defence equipment, while the two countries have maintained close security contacts. The relationship has developed over many years and has become an important part of Azerbaijan’s broader security policy. Israeli government-linked analysis has described Azerbaijan as one of Israel’s major defence-product customers.

The strategic relationship also has a regional dimension. Azerbaijan borders Iran, and relations between Baku and Tehran have periodically been strained. That factor has become even more significant amid the latest regional tensions. In March 2026, Azerbaijan said an Iranian drone attack had struck its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Israel condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan, according to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

Energy is another major link

Energy cooperation is another important pillar of Azerbaijan-Israel relations. Azerbaijan has been an important supplier of energy to Israel, while the two countries have also explored broader cooperation in energy and infrastructure. Israeli government analysis has described Azerbaijan as a major energy supplier to Israel and highlighted the importance of Azerbaijani oil to Israel’s energy security.

The partnership has also expanded into wider economic areas. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in January 2026 that energy, trade, investments, tourism, transport and logistics, high technology, defence and security were among the sectors with significant potential for further cooperation. Taken together, these defence, security, and energy links explain why Azerbaijan’s approach to Netanyahu’s UN speech differs from that of countries that chose to join the walkout.

Here is the list of countries that walked out:

Tuvalu, Turkmenistan, Yemen, Egypt, Panama, Senegal, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, Venezuela, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Congo, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tonga, Uzbekistan, Angola, Barbados, Colombia, Comoros, Dominica, Djibouti, North Macedonia, San Marino, South Africa, Somalia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Brazil, Chile, Republic of Congo, Lebanon, Liberia, Eritrea, Chad, Central African Republic, Libya, Mauritania, Jordan, Nicaragua, Madagascar, Niger, Peru, Saint Lucia, Slovenia, Afghanistan, Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, North Korea, Eswatini, Syria, Uganda, Pakistan, Lesotho, Bolivia, Spain, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Mozambique, Myanmar, Maldives, Indonesia, Kuwait, Namibia, Malaysia, Guyana, and Kenya.

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