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 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 recognising the State of Palestine 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 across the past year 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.
The Israeli prime minister went on to refute the conclusion of a UN commission of inquiry that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, claiming the charge was baseless.
He also rejected statements from multiple UN agencies that Israel is deliberately restricting the amount of aid entering Gaza, stating that the situation was being misrepresented.
Ahead of his speech, Netanyahu's office ordered the Israeli military to mount loudspeakers on trucks near the Gaza perimeter fence to broadcast his words live across the territory. He also claimed that Israeli intelligence had hacked the smartphones of people in Gaza and would stream his speech to them directly, although sources in Gaza reported no such interference.
Netanyahu expressed hope that his message would reach Israeli hostages held by Hamas, stating: Our brave heroes, this is Prime Minister Netanyahu speaking to you live from the United Nations. We have not forgotten you, not even for a second. The people of Israel are with you. We will not falter, and we will not rest until we bring all of you home. There are currently 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.
He devoted a portion of his speech to discussing Israel's regional neighbors, noting a potential de-escalation agreement with Syria and urging the Lebanese government to do more to disarm Hezbollah.
His speech received criticism from Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, who remarked that Netanyahu's address was filled with overused gimmicks and further complicated Israel's diplomatic situation.
Shortly after Netanyahu finished speaking, Donald Trump indicated to the media that he believes a deal regarding Gaza is close, but did not elaborate on details.
International journalists have faced restrictions from entering Gaza since the onset of the war nearly two years ago, complicating the verification of claims made by both sides. The Israeli military’s ongoing campaign in Gaza is in response to an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 individuals taken hostage.
Since the onset of the conflict, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that at least 65,549 people have died due to Israeli strikes.
