Benjamin Netanyahu criticises allies and detractors at UNGA address

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Confronting the Assembly and Responding to Walkouts

Dozens of global envoys walked out of the UNGA chamber as Netanyahu took the podium, with some attendees jeering and booing. Meanwhile, members of the Israeli delegation stood and applauded while the session speaker called for order.

Addressing the demonstration directly, Netanyahu challenged the room. “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left this hall, please do so now,” he stated.

The speech unfolded amid high political stakes domestically. Netanyahu faces a tight electoral race back home ahead of a scheduled October 27 election, with political analysts noting that the address was tailored for both international scrutiny and domestic voters.

Addressing the Iran Conflict and Regional Operations

Reflecting on the ongoing military engagements involving Israel and the United States, Netanyahu defended the strategic joint operations launched against Iran in February. “Devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard, was very hard to do,” he said, adding that it was among the easiest decisions of his tenure to prevent catastrophic outcomes.

Netanyahu described Israel as engaged in a multi-pronged conflict across seven fronts, encompassing Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen’s Houthis, and militias in Iraq. “We are going to win. We have no other choice,” he declared, echoing a phrase used by his older brother, Yonatan Netanyahu, who died in 1976 during Operation Entebbe in Uganda.

The remarks contrasted with statements delivered a day earlier by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. In his own UNGA address on Wednesday, Pezeshkian criticized international double standards regarding nuclear capabilities and sanctions.

Friction with Historic Allies and Regional Critics

Netanyahu also turned his focus toward traditional partners in Europe, singling out the United Kingdom and France for their growing diplomatic pushback and limited sanctions on Israeli exports originating from the occupied West Bank.

“They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism – some colonialism. And who’s accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God’s sakes, they invented the term,” Netanyahu told the assembly.

Relations with Turkiye faced severe strain as Netanyahu accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of spreading anti-Semitic falsehoods. The Turkish presidency issued a prompt rebuttal via Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on X, stating that the remarks were incompatible with United Nations ideals and highlighting the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Turkish leadership previously characterized Israeli military actions in Gaza as part of a genocidal mindset during addresses earlier in the week.

Alliances and Domestic Political Clashes

In contrast to his criticism of European and Turkish leaders, Netanyahu offered strong praise for United States President Donald Trump. Thanking his partner in what he termed a battle against barbarians, Netanyahu highlighted joint military actions, noting that pilots from both nations flew missions together over Iranian airspace and cooperated on hostage retrieval efforts from Gaza.

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Netanyahu also directed comments toward New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously indicated he would push for the Israeli leader’s arrest during his visit. Denying allegations of genocide in Gaza, Netanyahu addressed the mayor from the world stage: “Mr Mamdani, you tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me.”

Mamdani rejected the accusations, characterizing Netanyahu’s remarks as baseless claims designed to deflect from the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe and legal proceedings concerning Palestinian territories.