Netanyahu Defends Iran Strikes as UN Delegates Walk Out of Speech

Responding to the departing envoys, Netanyahu called those who left moral cowards and asked if there were any others who had not yet left the hall to please do so now. According to the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations, a message had been sent to 193 member nations urging staff to collectively walk out once the Israeli prime minister was announced to signal that no one was willing to be complicit in its genocide and war crimes and illegal occupation.

Defense of Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities

Netanyahu focused a significant portion of his address on Israel’s military actions against Iran, specifically the destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities. He described the decision to launch the operation as one of the easiest decisions he had made as prime minister, stating, Because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead. He framed the operation as a necessary step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability.

The prime minister claimed that by defending itself, Israel was also protecting the very countries whose delegates had walked out of the assembly. He asserted that many of those leaders had privately thanked Israel for taking out Iran’s nukes. Netanyahu further predicted that the murderous regime in Iran would eventually be toppled by its own corruption, lies, and cruelty.

Netanyahu Faces Delegate Walkout During U.N. General Assembly Speech

U.S. Partnership and the ‘Seven-Front War’

Netanyahu praised U.S. President Donald Trump for his bold leadership, calling him Israel’s greatest partner in the fight against the barbarians. He specifically referenced joint air strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel against Tehran in February, stating that the two nations acted together to save civilisation and protect themselves.

The prime minister described Israel as having fought a seven-front war over the last three years, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023. He listed the following adversaries:

• Hamas
• Hezbollah
• The Houthis
• Iran
• Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq
• Palestinian militants in the West Bank

During the speech, Netanyahu held up a pager to reference a 2024 operation against Hezbollah. This operation involved coordinated explosions targeting members of the Iran-backed group in Syria and Lebanon, which wounded more than 3,000 people and killed 12, including two children.

Netanyahu at UN: Without Attacks on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities ‘We Would All Be Dead

Attacks on Critics and Genocide Allegations

Netanyahu dismissed allegations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, labeling the claims the biggest lie of the century. He accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields and maintained that Israel facilitated humanitarian aid and used phone calls, leaflets, and text messages to move Palestinians out of combat zones.

The Israeli leader also used the podium to attack specific critics:

• President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Netanyahu called the Turkish president a tyrant and accused him of supporting Hamas. In response, Burhanettin Duran, the Turkish presidency’s communications director, stated the accusations were baseless and incompatible with UN ideals.
• Mayor Zohran Mamdani: Netanyahu criticized the New York City mayor, claiming that since Mamdani’s election, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. Mamdani’s office responded that Netanyahu used his speech to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians.
• European Nations: He criticized leaders in France and Britain for accusing tiny Israel of colonialism, noting that those nations invented the term.

Netanyahu calls UN delegates moral cowards after mass walkout

Palestinian Response and Diplomatic Tension

The event took place amid ongoing tensions regarding Palestinian representation. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was forced to address the assembly via a pre-recorded video message because the United States denied his visa for the second year. In his remarks, Abbas stated that Palestinians would not accept displacement or allow others to decide their future.

Netanyahu reiterated that the Palestinian Authority is not a partner for peace and stated that no Palestinian state will be established while he remains in leadership. These comments come as Netanyahu remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes.