Netanyahu defends Israel at UN as dozens of delegates walk out

Netanyahu addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday as dozens of delegates left the hall when he began his speech.

The walkout came as Israel faces growing international criticism over its military campaign in Gaza and its wider regional policies. Reuters reported that delegates streamed out of the hall during Netanyahu’s address.

Netanyahu responded by calling those who left the hall “moral cowards”.

Supporters in the gallery, meanwhile, chanted in Hebrew, “The people of Israel live.”

The contrasting reactions highlighted the deep divisions surrounding Israel’s military actions and Netanyahu’s government.

Netanyahu defends Israel’s actions

Netanyahu used his roughly 40-minute address to defend Israel and respond to criticism from foreign governments and political figures.

He strongly criticised New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Western European leaders and governments that he said had turned against Israel.

Netanyahu also accused Qatar and Türkiye of spreading what he described as false claims about Israel.

“You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried. You tried to silence me. Well, you can't silence me. You can't silence the truth,” Netanyahu said while addressing Mamdani.

The Israeli prime minister also rejected accusations that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.

“Here's a simple truth: Israel didn't commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide,” Netanyahu said.

Israel and Netanyahu reject allegations of genocide. The allegations remain the subject of international legal and political disputes.

Netanyahu clashes with New York Mayor Mamdani

Mamdani has been a prominent critic of Netanyahu.

During his campaign for New York mayor, Mamdani pledged to seek Netanyahu’s arrest over alleged war crimes if the Israeli prime minister visited the city. He later said he had determined that he lacked the legal authority to make such an arrest.

Mamdani has also accused Netanyahu of responsibility for grave violations against Palestinians. Responding to Netanyahu’s UN speech, Mamdani said the Israeli prime minister had repeated what he described as “baseless lies”.

“As he has done time and again, Prime Minister Netanyahu used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians. Yet no lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Mamdani said.

Netanyahu, in turn, accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas, a claim Mamdani has denied. Reuters reported the exchange as part of Netanyahu’s broader response to criticism during his New York visit.

Qatar rejects Netanyahu’s accusations

Qatar also rejected Netanyahu’s accusations. A spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Netanyahu’s repeated criticism of Doha was aimed at diverting attention from responsibility for policies on the ground.

The dispute added another dimension to Netanyahu’s criticism of countries and political leaders he says are working against Israel. The Israeli prime minister also criticised Western European governments during his speech, accusing them of responding to what he described as antisemitic pressure.

Netanyahu’s political future remains a focus

Netanyahu’s UN appearance came less than five weeks before Israel’s general election, scheduled for October 27.

Reuters reported that his speech also carried a domestic political dimension, with the address broadcast during evening prime time on Israel’s main television channels. Netanyahu presented Israel as facing threats on several fronts and highlighted the military challenges confronting the country.

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He described Israel as fighting on seven fronts, including the conflict with Iran that began after US-Israeli strikes in late February. The speech therefore addressed both international criticism and issues likely to matter to Israeli voters ahead of the election.

Netanyahu uses props during UN address

As in some of his previous UN appearances, Netanyahu used physical objects to support points made during his speech.

He held up a pager that he linked to an attack involving Iran-backed Hezbollah members in Lebanon. He also displayed a Starlink satellite internet receiver and said he would leave it for the Iranian delegation.

“So when they inevitably defect, they too will be able to freely tell their story on social media,” Netanyahu said. He also predicted that Iran’s authorities would eventually be removed by the Iranian people.

Protests take place outside UN headquarters

The tensions surrounding Netanyahu’s appearance were not limited to the General Assembly hall.

Several hundred protesters gathered near the United Nations headquarters in New York. Some protesters blocked traffic and chanted slogans including, “Stop arming Israel, let Gaza live” and “Stop arming Israel, let Iran live.”

Police detained protesters during the demonstrations. Reuters reported that at least 30 people, including actors and politicians, were arrested outside the UN headquarters. The demonstrations took place as Netanyahu made a short visit to New York for his UN address.

Netanyahu praises Trump

Netanyahu also praised US President Donald Trump during his speech. The Israeli prime minister said Israel would continue defending itself and credited Trump with supporting Israel.

“We will continue to defend our state. We will continue to win because we have no other choice. In this battle against the barbarians, we've had no greater partner than President Trump. I thank him. I thank him for his bold leadership,” Netanyahu said.

Unlike some previous visits, Netanyahu did not have a planned meeting with Trump during this short trip to the United States, according to Reuters.

Israel faces growing international criticism

Israel has faced increased diplomatic criticism since the Gaza war began following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023. Netanyahu has also faced international legal pressure.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Netanyahu and Israel reject the allegations. The issue has affected Netanyahu’s ability to travel to some countries.

The Israeli prime minister also criticised Britain, France and Canada after they announced measures targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. He accused the countries of choosing what he described as “weakness” and “appeasement”.

Netanyahu addresses West Bank settler violence

Netanyahu also addressed violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

He described those responsible as “a handful of young juvenile delinquents, about 150 in number, who throw stones, who chop down olive trees.”

He acknowledged that some had also set fires but said he opposed such actions.

“Occasionally ... they lit some fires. I can't stand that. I won't stand for vigilantism. We're a country of law,” Netanyahu said. His remarks came amid continued international scrutiny of violence and settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.

What happens next?

Netanyahu’s UN speech has highlighted the continuing international debate over Israel’s actions in Gaza and its wider regional policies. The walkout by dozens of delegates showed the disagreement surrounding his government, while supporters inside the hall expressed their backing.

At home, Netanyahu is also preparing for an election scheduled for October 27. The coming weeks are likely to keep Israel’s military policies, international relations and Netanyahu’s political future at the centre of public attention.