During a fiery speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a strong attack against the recent recognition of a Palestinian State by multiple Western countries. He described these actions as a “mark of shame” that sends a message that “murdering Jews pays off.” The Prime Minister’s remarks were met with a mass walkout, with dozens of officials and diplomats leaving the auditorium, leaving a considerable portion of the hall empty.
Netanyahu began his address by presenting a map he called “The Curse,” illustrating what he described as Iran’s proxy groups spread across the Middle East. He then detailed Israel’s military operations over the past year against groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran itself.
He acknowledged the US President Donald Trump’s role in the bombing of Iran’s Fordo nuclear site in June and drew parallels between the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the September 11th attacks on the United States.
The Israeli leader also directly refuted the UN commission of inquiry’s conclusion that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, calling the accusation “baseless.” He further rejected claims from various UN agencies that Israel is deliberately hindering aid to Gaza. This comes amidst reports, including a UN-backed confirmation of famine in Gaza City in August, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation.
In an attempt to ensure his message reached Gaza, Netanyahu’s office reportedly had loudspeakers mounted on trucks near the Gaza perimeter fence to broadcast his speech live. He also claimed Israeli intelligence had hacked smartphones in Gaza to stream the speech directly, though BBC sources in Gaza reported no such disruption.
Netanyahu addressed the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, assuring them of the nation’s commitment to their safe return. “We have not forgotten you, not even for a second,” he stated. “The people of Israel are with you. We will not falter, and we will not rest until we bring all of you home.” Currently, 48 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, with 20 thought to be alive.
The speech also touched upon Israel’s regional relationships, with Netanyahu suggesting proximity to a de-escalation agreement with Syria and urging the Lebanese government to intensify efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu’s speech as “weary and whining” and “overloaded with overused gimmicks,” stating that Netanyahu had “worsened the state of the State of Israel” instead of mitigating the diplomatic crisis.
Following Netanyahu’s address, Donald Trump told journalists that he believed a deal on Gaza was imminent, though he offered no further details. The ongoing conflict has made independent verification of claims challenging, as international journalists have been largely barred from entering Gaza since the war began.
The Israeli military initiated its campaign in Gaza following the October 7th Hamas attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that at least 65,549 people have been killed in Israeli attacks.