Israel’s Disgrace at the United Nations: A Global Show of Hostility

By Alan Dershowitz | Friday, 03 October 2025 11:05 AM EDT
I recently attended the United Nations to witness Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s annual speech to the general assembly. What I observed before the address began left me convinced that the United Nations is no longer merely on life support—it is clinically dead.

More than half of the delegates walked out as Netanyahu was introduced, refusing to hear Israel’s perspective on the Mideast conflict. The UN’s core purpose is to foster dialogue on global disputes, yet many member nations refuse even to acknowledge Israel’s right to speak. Some countries do not recognize Israel’s existence as the Jewish people’s nation-state, while simultaneously endorsing the non-existent “Palestine.” This contradiction persists because many nations that back Palestine do so to undermine Israel’s legitimacy.

The two-state solution lacks widespread support at the UN. Most Palestinian supporters view it as an alternative to Israel rather than a coexisting state. Notably, countries that boycotted Netanyahu’s speech have previously engaged with authoritarian regimes like Iran, Sudan, Russia, and Venezuela, showing no respect for Israel’s right to present its case.

The walkout was not solely about the Gaza war; many nations had done so before it began. Even if hostilities ceased, these countries would likely continue their boycotts. Protests against policies can take other forms, such as condemning conflicts through resolutions, yet the UN’s role has eroded.

Once called a “meaningless debate society,” the UN now fails even to facilitate dialogue. Delegates walk out instead of engaging in discussion, rendering the organization ineffective. The 1960s saw similar bias, but at least participants pretended to consider all sides. Today, the UN serves as an incubator for bigotry and anti-Semitism, wasting resources while exacerbating global issues.

As a former supporter of the UN, I now question the U.S.’s continued membership. The organization has become a monument to hypocrisy, and its shutdown would be justified. Legislation to withdraw U.S. support aligns with this view. The UN’s failure to uphold its principles has left it as a symbol of ineptitude and prejudice.