The Morning Clown Parade

When Choreography Replaces Diplomacy at the UN

“More than 100 diplomats from more than 50 countries walked out as Netanyahu entered the hall” — the headlines have been everywhere since September 26, 2025.

But the official UN “General Debate” schedule for the 80th session tells a more revealing story. On that day, in the morning session, the order of speakers was clear-cut:

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel)
2. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (Pakistan)
3. Premier Li Qiang (China)

So Benjamin Netanyahu had the honor of being the first speaker of the morning—the opener—at the United Nations. That detail matters because it exposes the absurdity of what followed. Delegates from more than fifty countries dragged themselves out of bed early, suited up, commuted across Manhattan, passed through UN security, took their assigned seats, and waited patiently for Netanyahu to take the podium. And then, on cue, they rose and marched out—not because they had anything to say, not because they had any real point to make, but because the script told them to walk.

This was no spontaneous protest; it was choreographed theater. Reports revealed that delegations had been instructed in advance: everyone must show up, sit still until the Israeli prime minister began speaking, and then file out slowly enough for the cameras to catch the exodus. Evidence of coordination was undeniable. The “Palestinian” mission to the UN cast itself as stage manager, directing junior staffers to play extras in the scene. Low-ranking diplomats—NPCs, non-player characters—were given their fifteen seconds of fame, parading down the aisles like clowns in the opening act of a cheap circus.

And the execution? Painfully predictable. A solemn shuffle to the exits, as if these minor bureaucrats in borrowed gravitas were striking a historic blow. In reality, they struck nothing. All form, no substance. The “morning clown parade” made headlines, but its impact was as weighty as a balloon animal. The only thing achieved was proof of how far some delegations will go to perform outrage instead of practicing diplomacy.

But this was only Act One. Act Two was the tired refrain about “recognition.” Last year, we were told that more than 145 countries recognize “Palestine.” This year, it’s more than 150. Bravo. Add a few more negligible hands to the applause line. Who cares? Yet the hard questions remain: What are the internationally recognized borders of this so-called state? None. What is its currency? The shekel—Israel’s currency. What keeps the lights on in Gaza? Israeli power grids. What keeps the taps running? Israeli water infrastructure. What keeps the markets stocked? Israeli imports. This “state” is nothing more than a slogan—a bumper sticker elevated to international theater.

So let’s call it what it was: a morning clown parade at the UN, staged indignation by bit players desperate for headlines. They woke up early, ironed their shirts, commuted across Manhattan, and marched in unison out of the hall—all to prove, once again, that they can make noise without meaning. Hypocrites, clowns, performers in a show that convinces no one. Recognition without reality. Theater with a script, but no substance. A “state” without a state.

Because when all you have is choreography, you don’t have diplomacy. You have a circus.

Oh, and one more thing: many anti-Israel talking heads call Israel’s Prime Minister “Bibi,” parroting Israelis without knowing it’s a warm, affectionate nickname. To you, Ziophobes, he’s Benjamin. Not Bibi.