Netanyahu is a wanted man who roams the world freely

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 81st UNGA at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. [AFP]

The empty seats surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly last week prove that the rest of the world might finally be in a position to stand decisively against the actions of Israel in Gaza. As the Israeli prime minister began his address on September 24, dozens of delegations walked out, leaving a substantially diminished audience behind. Mr Netanyahu responded by accusing those who remained of cowardice and proceeded with a speech defending Israel’s conduct in Gaza, attacking its international critics and portraying Israel as a defender of the wider international order.

The walkout was politically significant, but perhaps more revealing was the contradiction between the international isolation displayed inside the General Assembly and the freedom Netanyahu continues to enjoy outside it. He is subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), yet he has continued to travel internationally, including to the United States (US), while European states have allowed his aircraft to pass through their airspace. The ICC warrant, issued in November 2024, alleges war crimes and crimes against humanity, including starvation as a method of warfare, murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.