Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used his platform at the United Nations General Assembly to attack detractors and allies alike, and his presence caused an uproar in the chamber.
Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, attacking New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani, critics, Iranian leadership and allies such as Britain and France.
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In his home country, the prime minister is embroiled in a fierce battle to maintain power in the run-up to the October 27 general election, and analysts say his UNGA speech was as much aimed at the people at home as it was at an overseas audience.
As the speech began, dozens of envoys from around the world filed out, some jeered and booed, but Netanyahu’s team stood and applauded, and the speaker shouted for order.
“If there are any other moral cowards who have not left this room, please do so now,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said to those who turned their backs on him.
“It was very difficult to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, very difficult to do,” he said, referring to the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran in February.
“But for me, this was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as Prime Minister,” he said, insisting that if he hadn’t done so, “we would all be dead.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also addressed the nuclear issue in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, denouncing “double standards.”
“The nuclear weapons are in Israel, but the inspectors are in Iran. Israel is killing people, but Iran is subject to sanctions,” Pezeshkian said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel is fighting a “seven-front war” that includes Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq.
“We are going to win. There is no other choice,” Netanyahu declared, echoing the words of his brother Jonathan Netanyahu, who was killed in action during the Entebbe campaign in Uganda in 1976.
criticize allies
Israel’s historic partners Britain and France were also within Netanyahu’s range. Both countries have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of Israel’s actions and have imposed limited sanctions on Israeli exports from the occupied West Bank.
“They are accusing Israel, little Israel, of colonialism, a kind of colonialism. And who are they accusing us of? Some of them are British and French people. Thankfully, they invented this word,” he said.
However, Netanyahu thanked his “friend”, US President Donald Trump.
A U.S. delegation joined the Israeli delegation in praising Netanyahu’s remarks, saying, “We have no greater partner in this fight against barbarians than President Trump.”
“I thank him,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel and the United States acted together as pilots from both countries “flew a joint mission over Iran.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu defended Israel’s actions in the enclave against genocide charges, saying the United States and Israel also “cooperated to bring back the remaining hostages[from Gaza].”
“To all those who are spreading lies about my country, whether they are sitting in this hall or in the anti-Semitic mayor’s office in New York, I say this: Shame on you,” Netanyahu said, attacking Zoran Mamdani, who had previously said during a visit to the city that he would seek the arrest of the Israeli prime minister.
“Mr. Mamdani, you tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me,” Netanyahu said while denying that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.
Reacting to Netanyahu’s comments, Prime Minister Mamdani said the accusations against Netanyahu were “baseless lies” aimed at “cleansing up the genocide of the Palestinian people.”
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced repeated accusations of genocide in Gaza and systematic war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) said in 2024 that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu was responsible for war crimes in Gaza, where more than 73,000 Palestinians were killed. Prime Minister Netanyahu denies the ICC charges.
Prime Minister Netanyahu attended the UN General Assembly despite an ICC arrest warrant. Although he was welcomed, the Trump administration refused to grant a visa to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The president addressed the United Nations General Assembly via a pre-recorded video statement in Ramallah earlier in the day.
‘war criminal’
As Netanyahu spoke, activists from the US-based organization Jewish Voice for Peace protested outside, accusing the United Nations of “playing host to war criminals.”
“Across New York, Jews, Palestinians, and people of conscience are rising up to demand an end to livestreamed terror, an unjust ceasefire, and an end to U.S. support for forever wars,” Sonya Meyerson-Knox, the group’s communications director, told Al Jazeera.
“Solidarity for Palestinian freedom has never been stronger, and here in the United States we are united in calling for an end to arms deliveries to Israel,” Meyerson-Knox said.
Adding to tensions, dozens of protesters gathered near the United Nations brandishing “Stop the Genocide” banners. Several demonstrators were detained, including well-known actor Susan Sarandon.
“Throughout this long war, our goal has never wavered: to win with unwavering determination…What unites us is our history, our values, our courage,” Netanyahu said at the United Nations, but referring to the divisions in his home country of Israel.
Ariel Cohen, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, said the Israeli prime minister gave a “good speech” at the UN General Assembly, but in the “wrong forum.”
“That speech should be given at an Israeli election rally. This is the person he is addressing,” Cohen told Al Jazeera. “He’s making a point to appeal to Israeli audiences for political survival.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu only stopped in New York and plans to rush back to Israel, where the election campaign is in full swing. He has no plans to meet with top US leaders.
