Fact Check: Israeli opposition walks out during Modi’s speech? No, here’s the timeline of events

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced strong support for Israel during his address to the Knesset on Wednesday, stating that India stands by the country ‘with full conviction,’ even as Israel faces allegations of genocide over its war in Gaza.

PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit, delivered his speech on the first day of the trip, on February 25, and received a standing ovation from members of the Israeli Parliament as he reiterated India’s enduring backing for the country.

Amid the international trip, a video showing Israeli opposition leaders allegedly walking out of Knesset after the Speaker announced PM Modi’s name has gone viral.

The walkout was an alleged snub to PM Narendra Modi before his address.

An X user shared the video with the caption, “Israeli opposition walked out of parliament right before Modi was about to speak, declaring 'WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS MAN'! Even the world sees through his fake image. That’s why India desperately needs a real, caring leader like Rahul Gandhi ji as PM! #BesharmPM” (Archive)

A similar post can be seen here. (Archive)

But did a walkout really happen against PM Modi’s speech?

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. The video does not show the opposition walking out during PM Modi’s speech. Instead, it shows a partial boycott during addresses by the Knesset Speaker and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The members who walked out returned for PM Modi’s address.

What actually happened?

Through keyword searches, NewsMeter located the full live broadcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Knesset. The video was uploaded on February 25 by the Israeli Government Press Office on YouTube. It is titled, ‘Join the GPO live broadcast of the welcoming ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.’

The viral portion of the clip appears around the 28-minute mark. It shows opposition lawmakers walking out after PM Modi was welcomed and seated, but before he began his address. The walkout took place during speeches by the Knesset Speaker and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not during PM Modi’s speech.

Where was the video shot?

The footage is from the Knesset plenum in Jerusalem on February 25, during a special session organised for PM Modi’s address.

Reports published on February 25 by The Times of Israel and The Times of India clarify that opposition lawmakers staged the walkout to protest the exclusion of High Court President Isaac Amit from the special session.

So, this confirmed that the walkout did occur, but was it related to PM Modi?

Did the walkout target PM Modi?

As per news reports, the protest was linked to internal Israeli judicial and protocol disputes, not to PM Modi’s visit.

The reports further stated that the opposition members re-entered the chamber specifically to attend PM Modi’s speech, signalling respect for India-Israel ties.

Did the Opposition meet PM Modi?

The boycott was led by opposition figures, including Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid. Upon returning to the chamber, Lapid shook hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shown at the 1:04:35 timestamp of the live broadcast and clarified that the protest ‘had nothing to do’ with him. He also praised the India–Israel relationship and commended Modi’s leadership.

A review of the complete session shows no walkout during PM Modi’s speech, which focused on strengthening bilateral ties between India and Israel and received a positive response.

The viral claim that Israeli opposition members walked out during PM Modi’s speech is misleading. The walkout occurred during Netanyahu’s address over a domestic issue, and opposition lawmakers later returned for PM Modi’s speech.