In a belligerent address at the UN General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized many Western nations for recognizing a Palestinian State.
Netanyahu called the acknowledgement actions a “mark of disgrace” that conveyed the idea that “murdering Jews pays rewards.”
When he reached the platform, dozens of diplomats and officials staged a walkout, leaving the conference hall almost deserted. Outside, demonstrators gathered in Times Square to oppose Israel’s invasion in Gaza.
The UK, France, Canada, Australia, and other nations recognized the State of Palestine this week as a result of intense international pressure on Israel for its military operation in Gaza.
In his opening comments, Netanyahu unveiled a map titled “The Curse” that he alleged depicted Iranian proxy organizations spanning the Middle East. He went on to discuss Israeli military actions against Iran, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon over the previous 12 months.
He compared the 9/11 assault on the United States to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and hailed US President Donald Trump for the United States’ role in the June bombing of Iran’s Fordo nuclear plant. He cited screams of “death to America” by Iranian-affiliated organizations as evidence that the two nations were battling the same foes.
The Israeli prime minister reiterated that the great majority of Israelis back Israel’s refusal to recognize a Palestinian state.
He continued by calling the UN committee of inquiry’s finding that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza “baseless” and disputing it.
Additionally, he denied claims made by many UN organizations that Israel is purposefully limiting the flow of supplies into Gaza. A UN-backed organization verified in August that starvation was occurring in Gaza City.
In order to broadcast Netanyahu’s remarks live across the region, his administration ordered the Israeli military to install loudspeakers on vehicles close to the Gaza border line.
Netanyahu also said that Israeli intelligence had compromised Gazans’ devices and would broadcast his address straight to them. BBC sources in Gaza claimed their phones had not been impacted.
According to him, the goal was for a message to get to the Israeli captives there.
He wrote, “Our brave warriors,” on the podium. “This is Prime Minister Netanyahu, live from the United Nations, addressing you. Not even for a moment have we forgotten you. You have the support of the Israelites. Until we get you all home, we will not change our minds or stop.”
Twenty of the 48 captives who are still in Gaza are believed to be alive.
“What does he gain by broadcasting his message forcefully to the beleaguered residents within the tents, except to further humiliate them?” Gaza resident Fadi said on the BBC World Service’s OS program.
In the latter part of his speech, Netanyahu addressed Israel’s neighbors in the area, stating that a de-escalation deal with Syria was imminent and urging the Lebanese government to intensify its disarming operations against Hezbollah.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote: “Today witnessed a fatigued and whiny Israeli prime minister, in a speech filled with overdone gimmicks.” He was instantly criticized in Israel.
He commented on X, “Today, Netanyahu made the situation in the State of Israel worse rather than halting the diplomatic tsunami.”
Yair Golan, head of Israel’s Democrats party stated the speech demonstrated “just victimization, sanctimoniousness, and utter indifference to the agony of the prisoners and the sacrifice of the fighters”.
He called the loudspeaker act a “propaganda performance” and called it “invalid, infantile, and crazy.”
Mahmoud Abbas, the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, told the General Assembly a day earlier that he is prepared to collaborate with international leaders in order to carry out a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians.
“I believe we have an agreement on Gaza,” Donald Trump told reporters separately shortly after Netanyahu’s conclusion. Though there has been growing conjecture that a ceasefire agreement may be imminent, he did not elaborate.
Since the conflict began over two years ago, Israel has prohibited independent foreign journalists from accessing the Gaza Strip, making it difficult to objectively verify statements made by both sides. Under regulated access, the IDF has brought a few journalists into Gaza.
Following the Hamas-led onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostage-takings, the Israeli military initiated a battle in Gaza.
Since then, Israeli assaults in Gaza have killed at least 65,549 Palestinians, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas in the enclave.