In brief
At the UN General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western nations as a 'mark of shame'. His remarks led to a significant walkout by diplomats and a protest outside the venue. Netanyahu affirmed Israel's unwillingness to allow a Palestinian state, countering claims of genocide. He expressed support for military actions against Iran and its affiliates while claiming to have reached out to hostages in Gaza. The speech received mixed reactions from other Israeli politicians and the international community.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has attacked the recognition of a Palestinian state by multiple Western countries during a combative speech at the UN General Assembly.
Netanyahu labelled the recognition moves a 'mark of shame' that sent the message that 'murdering Jews pays off'.
Dozens of officials and diplomats staged a walk-out as he took to the podium, leaving large parts of the conference hall empty. Outside, protesters against Israel's war in Gaza gathered in Times Square.
Israel has come under huge international pressure over its military action in Gaza, culminating in the UK, France, Canada, Australia and other countries recognizing a Palestinian state this week.
In his opening remarks, Netanyahu displayed a map labelled 'The Curse' that he said showed Iranian proxy groups across the Middle East. He then highlighted Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran.
He thanked US President Donald Trump for American involvement in bombing Iran's Fordo nuclear site in June, and drew parallels between Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and the 9/11 attack on the US. He asserted that the two countries were fighting similar enemies, pointing to chants of 'death to America' by groups linked to Iran.
The Israeli prime minister repeated that Israel would not allow a Palestinian state to exist and said this stance was widely supported by Israelis. He criticized claims from a UN commission that suggested Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, calling the notion 'baseless'.
He also disputed statements by UN agencies about Israel deliberately restricting aid to Gaza, despite warnings of famine conditions there.
Ahead of his speech, Netanyahu's office reportedly organized for loudspeakers to be mounted on trucks near the Gaza perimeter fence to broadcast his comments live. He claimed Israeli intelligence had hacked into the smartphones of Gaza residents and would stream his speech to them directly, although reports indicated that was not the case.
Netanyahu's address concluded with statements aimed at regional neighbors, urging Lebanon's government to combat Hezbollah and claiming proximity to a de-escalation agreement with Syria.
His speech received criticism from various Israeli political leaders, noting it was filled with overused rhetoric and a sign of desperation amid growing international scrutiny.
Just prior to her speech, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed his willingness to work towards a peace plan with global leaders, highlighting the increasing diplomatic challenges facing Netanyahu.
