Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his UN speech to defend Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and Iran, but dozens of delegates walked out of the hall in protest as he took the stage in New York.
Facing a sea of empty seats as he took the stage, Netanyahu vowed that Israel would not back down. “We’re going to win. We have no other choice,” he declared, before challenging the remaining diplomats: “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left the hall, please do so now.”
The confrontational speech came just hours after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing the assembly via video link after being denied a US entry visa, delivered a scathing indictment of Israeli policy. Abbas warned that Israel’s actions, particularly the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, threatened “the very life and existence of the Palestinian people on their homeland.” He accused the Israeli military of subjecting Palestinians to “killing, destruction, starvation and attempts at displacement, as well as a genocidal war” in Gaza, jeopardizing any remaining hope for a two-state solution.
Netanyahu flatly rejected accusations of genocide, instead launching blistering counter-attacks against Israel’s critics. He accused Britain and France of hypocrisy regarding claims of “colonialism,” noting, “For God’s sake, they invented the term.” He also labeled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “tyrant” for his support of Hamas, prompting a sharp rebuke from Ankara, which called the accusations “baseless” and incompatible with UN ideals.
The Israeli leader also aimed at domestic US politics, criticizing New York City’s left-wing Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York,” Netanyahu stated. Mamdani’s office swiftly fired back, accusing the prime minister of using the UN platform to “repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians.”
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Beyond the rhetorical fireworks, the speech was widely interpreted as a calculated pitch to two audiences. Domestically, Netanyahu is facing a critical election next month, with his once-unassailable “Mr. Security” image under intense scrutiny following reports that he ignored warnings before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Internationally, he is attempting to shore up support in Washington, notably thanking US President Donald Trump for his “bold leadership” in reference to the joint US-Israeli air strikes launched against Tehran in February.
However, this outreach comes amid fracturing support. Polls indicate plummeting backing for Israel among American Democrats, alongside growing skepticism within the Republican and MAGA base.
The tension extended beyond the UN walls, with New York City police detaining several high-profile protesters, including Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and local politicians, for blocking a junction near the assembly.
The backdrop to this diplomatic clash remains devastating. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 73,920 people have been killed in Gaza during the Israeli military campaign. Furthermore, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) recently passed a resolution declaring that Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition of genocide, a charge Israel vehemently denies, maintaining its actions are justified acts of self-defense.
As the UN General Assembly continues, Netanyahu’s speech has laid bare the deepening gap between Israel and much of the international community. By embracing the role of the rebel outcast on the world stage, the Israeli prime minister is betting that a posture of unyielding strength will resonate more powerfully with his voters at home than the demands for restraint echoing from abroad.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
