Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the acknowledgment of a Palestinian state by several Western nations in a fiery address at the UN General Assembly.
Netanyahu described these recognition efforts as a “mark of disgrace,” conveying the idea that “killing Jews is rewarded”.
Numerous officials and diplomats made a walk-out as he approached the stage, leaving considerable sections of the assembly hall vacant. Meanwhile, protesters opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza congregated in Times Square.
Israel has faced significant global scrutiny regarding its military operations in Gaza, leading to the UK, France, Canada, Australia, and other nations recognizing the State of Palestine this week.
In his introductory comments, Netanyahu presented a map entitled “The Curse” which he claimed illustrated Iranian proxy movements throughout the Middle East. He then referred to Israeli military actions over the last year targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran.
He expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for American assistance in attacking Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility in June, drawing comparisons between Hamas’s assault on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the September 11 attacks on the US. He asserted that both nations were contending with similar adversaries, citing chants of “death to America” by groups associated with Iran.
The Israeli leader reiterated that Israel would not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state, stating that this stance is backed by the overwhelming majority of Israelis.
He proceeded to challenge the findings of a UN inquiry that claimed Israel had perpetrated genocide in Gaza, asserting that the accusation was “without merit”.
He also dismissed comments from various UN agencies alleging that Israel is intentionally limiting the flow of aid to Gaza. In August, a UN-supported organization confirmed that famine was occurring in Gaza City.
Prior to his address, Netanyahu’s team directed the Israeli military to set up loudspeakers on vehicles near the Gaza border to broadcast his speech in real-time across the region.
Netanyahu also alleged that Israeli intelligence had compromised the smartphones of individuals in Gaza and intended to stream his address directly to them. Sources from the BBC in Gaza reported that their devices had not been impacted.
He stated that the purpose of this was to ensure a message reached the Israeli hostages present there.
“Our courageous heroes,” he proclaimed at the podium. “This is Prime Minister Netanyahu addressing you live from the United Nations. We have not forgotten you, not for a single moment. The Israeli populace stands with you. We will not waver, and we will not cease until we bring you all home.”
There are 48 hostages still held in Gaza, with 20 believed to still be alive.
A resident of Gaza, Fadi, remarked to the BBC World Service’s OS programme: “What does he accomplish by forcibly transmitting his speech to the besieged civilians in the tents, other than to further demean them?”
Netanyahu dedicated the latter part of his speech to Israel’s neighboring states, indicating that a de-escalation agreement with Syria was imminent and urging the Lebanese government to enhance its actions to disarm Hezbollah.
He quickly faced criticism within Israel, with opposition leader Yair Lapid stating: “Today we witnessed an exhausted and complaining Israeli prime minister, delivering a speech filled with clichéd tactics.”
“Rather than halting the diplomatic onslaught – Netanyahu today exacerbated the situation for the State of Israel,” he commented on X.
Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s Democrats party stated that the address conveyed “nothing but victimhood, pretentiousness, and total disregard for the plight of the hostages and the sacrifices of the soldiers”.
He described the loudspeaker initiative as “invalid, juvenile, and insane,” characterizing it as “a propaganda display”.
The previous day, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas mentioned in his speech to the General Assembly his readiness to collaborate with global leaders to implement a peace initiative for Israel and the Palestinians.
Shortly after Netanyahu concluded his remarks, Donald Trump told reporters separately: “I think we have a deal regarding Gaza.” He did not elaborate, although speculation is growing that a ceasefire might be on the horizon.
International journalists have been barred by Israel from independently entering the Gaza Strip since the onset of the conflict nearly two years ago, complicating the verification of assertions from both parties. Some journalists have been taken into Gaza under controlled conditions by the IDF.
The Israeli military initiated operations in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 others being taken hostage.
At least 65,549 individuals have died in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza since that time, as reported by the territory’s Hamas-controlled health ministry.
