Initially, Reuters reported that the US decision was unprecedented, eliciting a denial from the Israeli foreign ministry. „Israel asks all its friends not to speak at the annual debate“ so as not to accord the session any importance, the foreign ministry said. „The report is not true. The Americans don‘t participate annually in the debate.“

Following the Israeli denial, Reuters took out the word „unprecedented“ and added that „the last time that Washington spoke under that stand-alone agenda item was in March 2013, U.N. records show.“