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Muslim Nations Flinch at Netanyahu: Saudi Walks Out, Why Did UAE Stay?
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News18•26-09-2026, 06:33
Muslim Nations Flinch at Netanyahu: Saudi Walks Out, Why Did UAE Stay?
- •Representatives from several Muslim countries walked out during Netanyahu's UN General Assembly speech.
- •Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and others protested, while the UAE delegation remained seated.
- •Netanyahu called those who left 'moral cowards' and claimed Israel aided countries whose delegates walked out.
- •Saudi Arabia's walkout was a strategic move to assert leadership on Palestine and signal terms for normalization with Israel.
- •The UAE stayed due to the Abraham Accords, its 'practical diplomacy' approach, and shared security concerns regarding Iran.
Key Questions Answered
Delegations from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and other Muslim nations walked out in protest due to widespread public anger over Gaza and the West Bank, and to signal that Saudi-Israel normalization requires an independent Palestinian state.
The UAE stayed seated to prioritize diplomatic engagement, practical dialogue, and economic-technological ties established through the 2020 Abraham Accords rather than participating in symbolic boycotts.
Smiling through the walkout, Netanyahu directly targeted the departing diplomats by calling them "moral cowards" and claimed that many Arab leaders privately thank Israel for its actions against Iran.
