Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a combative address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 24, as dozens of delegates walked out of the chamber in protest.
The walkout came as Netanyahu began speaking at the 81st session of the General Assembly in New York. Delegates jeered and booed, while members of the Israeli delegation stood and applauded. The session’s presiding officer also called for order.
Netanyahu responded by challenging those who remained in the chamber.
“If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left the hall, please do so now,” he said.
The Israeli prime minister used much of the speech to defend Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its campaign against Iran, while accusing foreign governments and political leaders of applying double standards to Israel.
He also rejected allegations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, describing the accusation in his speech as a falsehood.
Israel has consistently denied that its military campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide and says its operations are aimed at defending the country following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.
Netanyahu Attacks Israel’s Critics
Netanyahu criticised several Western governments that have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to Israeli policies, including Britain and France.
He questioned accusations that Israel was pursuing colonial policies, pointing to the colonial histories of Britain and France.
“They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism,” Netanyahu said, referring to criticism from the two European countries.
Britain and France have taken increasingly critical positions towards Israel over the Gaza war and Israeli settlement policies in the occupied West Bank.
French President Emmanuel Macron has also been a prominent advocate of Palestinian statehood and has repeatedly criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Netanyahu separately attacked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling him a “tyrant” and accusing Turkey of supporting Hamas.
Turkey rejected the comments. Burhanettin Duran, communications director for the Turkish presidency, described Netanyahu’s remarks as baseless accusations that were incompatible with the UN’s principles of peace, law and dialogue, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.
Iran Dominates Netanyahu’s Defence
Iran was another major focus of Netanyahu’s address.
He described the Iranian government as a “murderous dictatorship” and defended the military campaign conducted by Israel and the United States against Tehran.
Netanyahu said the strikes had prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons and suggested that political change in Iran could still occur.
The conflict has significantly widened the Middle East confrontation since the United States and Israel began their military campaign against Iran on February 28.
Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks against Israel and Gulf states hosting US military installations, while the confrontation has also affected shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian government has denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu also displayed a pager during his speech, referring to the devices used in an earlier operation against Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon. The operation involved remotely detonated devices and caused widespread casualties, including among civilians.
Abbas Addresses UN by Video
Netanyahu’s appearance came shortly after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the General Assembly through a recorded video message.
Abbas was unable to travel to New York after the Trump administration denied him a US entry visa.
He criticised Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank, particularly the expansion of Jewish settlements, saying they threatened the future of Palestinians and the possibility of a two-state solution.
Abbas also accused Israel of subjecting Palestinians in Gaza to killing, destruction, starvation and displacement.
The Palestinian president rejected the US decision preventing him from attending the UN gathering in person, describing the measures as unlawful punitive action.
The competing speeches underscored the deep divisions surrounding the Gaza conflict as world leaders gathered in New York.
Netanyahu Faces ICC Arrest Warrant
Netanyahu’s UN appearance also came against the background of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against him.
In November 2024, ICC judges issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The court said there were reasonable grounds to believe they bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, including starvation as a method of warfare, murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.
The allegations remain contested. Israel has rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction and the allegations against its leaders.
The ICC warrant does not amount to a conviction.
Netanyahu used his UN speech to portray the international criticism of Israel as part of a broader campaign against the country.
Mamdani and Netanyahu Clash
Netanyahu also turned his attention to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, one of his most outspoken critics.
The Israeli leader accused Mamdani of contributing to an environment in which Jewish New Yorkers feel less safe.
Mamdani’s office rejected Netanyahu’s remarks and accused him of using the UN platform to defend Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The dispute reflects a wider political confrontation in New York over the Gaza war, Israel and the enforcement of international law.
Mamdani had previously discussed the possibility of enforcing the ICC warrant against Netanyahu if the Israeli leader visited New York, although he later acknowledged that the mayor does not have the authority to independently execute an ICC arrest warrant.
Protests Outside the UN
The speech was accompanied by protests outside the UN headquarters.
Demonstrators gathered near the building carrying signs opposing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Several protesters were detained by New York police, including Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and actress Hannah Einbinder.
A spokesperson for the New York Police Department said officers responded to an unscheduled demonstration in which protesters were blocking an intersection.
The protests added to the disruption surrounding Netanyahu’s appearance, with the walkout inside the General Assembly becoming one of the most visible demonstrations of opposition to an Israeli leader at the UN.
Netanyahu’s Political Audience at Home
The UN speech also comes at a significant moment for Netanyahu domestically.
Israel is preparing for an October election, making the prime minister’s international posture relevant to his political campaign at home.
Netanyahu has built much of his political identity around national security and his ability to confront Israel’s adversaries. His UN appearance followed the same approach, presenting the wars involving Israel as existential conflicts and portraying himself as a leader willing to confront international criticism.
His government has faced continuing scrutiny over the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the Israeli military response that followed.
The Hamas-led attack on Israel killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken, according to figures cited by the BBC. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The competing accounts of the conflict remain at the centre of the international dispute over Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
The UN Secretary-General has separately warned that conflicts across the Middle East continue to place civilians at risk and called on leaders to pursue de-escalation and dialogue.
For Netanyahu, however, the message at the UN was largely one of defiance: Israel would continue its military campaigns despite growing international criticism, while he sought to frame those campaigns as necessary for the country’s security.
