Key facts
- Emirati influencers celebrated the UAE delegation remaining for Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the 81st UN General Assembly.
- Ahmed Khalifa posted on X that the UAE "shows up" and does not "run" from criticism.
- Rauda Altenaiji stated on X that "We stay and we listen. That’s how bridges are built."
- Critics interpreted the UAE's presence as public support for Israel and complicity in the Gaza conflict.
- Users linked the UAE's stance to its alleged support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, accused of atrocities.
- The Iranian delegation left a portrait of Qassem Soleimani at its seats during Netanyahu's speech.
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, delegates from numerous countries walked out in protest. Among the nations whose representatives remained in the hall was the United Arab Emirates.
While many international commentators criticized the UAE's decision, prominent Emirati social media figures celebrated it. Ahmed Khalifa, an online defender of Abu Dhabi, posted on X that the UAE "shows up" and does not "run" from criticism, sharing a photo of Netanyahu speaking to a partially empty hall. He later added, "It’s not our problem if you run! Be Brave. Face it. Listen. Argue point for point. Fleeing is childish. It only proves you’re incapable! 😉"
Rauda Altenaiji, who describes herself as a "seeker of bold ideas," posted, "We stay and we listen. That’s how bridges are built. We don’t do it teenager-esque style. We Dubai It, even in politics 🇦🇪🇦🇪."
These posts drew ridicule and anger from other users, who interpreted the UAE's presence as a signal of public support for Israel. One user replied to Khalifa, "You showed up for Netanyahu. You ran from every child bleeding in Gaza." Others pointed to Abu Dhabi's alleged role in Sudan's conflict, where it backs the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accused of atrocities. "Why would you run?" one user asked. "You're doing the exact same thing in Sudan that Israel is doing in Gaza." The UAE has repeatedly denied supplying the RSF with weapons or support.
The UAE's presence also led some users to turn Netanyahu's own words against the Emirati delegation, with one user writing, "The UAE stayed. They are the most disgusting cowards."
Iran's delegation was also absent from the chamber during Netanyahu’s speech, leaving a portrait of slain Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani at its seats.
Earlier in the day, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed world leaders in a pre-recorded video after the US denied him a visa to attend the UN gathering in person. The walkout occurred amid protests in New York, where demonstrators chanted "Stop arming Israel, let Gaza live." The New York Police Department reported approximately 100 arrests, including actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder.