A large group of delegates walked out during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly, leading to a strong reaction from him.
As Netanyahu began his address, he noticed numerous delegates leaving the chamber in New York City. The atmosphere was charged, with chants of protest echoing as the U.N. president attempted to start the session.
Upon taking the stage, Netanyahu remarked, “Before I begin, just a quick announcement, if there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now,” prompting cheers from those still present.
The prime minister proceeded to cast the ongoing conflict in Iran as a critical issue, stating that while “devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard… it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as prime minister. Because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead.”
He pointed out the irony in the situation, declaring, “In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,” claiming that private acknowledgments of gratitude from various leaders had followed Israel’s actions regarding Iran.
Netanyahu didn’t hold back throughout his speech. He labeled the behavior of the departing delegates as hypocritical, indicating that Israel’s struggle was not just for its survival but also for the world against “barbarians.”
He highlighted the challenges faced by Israeli forces, emphasizing that they had been engaged in what he called a “seven front war” for the past three years against groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. He questioned whether any other nation of Israel’s size could withstand such extensive threats and claimed that Israel had successfully countered them with support from the United States.
In addressing the protesters and his critics, Netanyahu passionately asked, “Where were you when the Iranian tyrants butchered and maimed tens of thousands of unarmed Iranian civilians?… Did you protest outside the Iranian mission to the UN?” He criticized their silence as insincere.
He took a moment to express gratitude towards former President Donald Trump for his actions against Iran, stating, “In this battle against the barbarians, we’ve had no greater partner than President Trump.” Netanyahu praised Trump for addressing substantial threats to both the U.S. and Israel.
Moreover, he introduced what he termed “the eighth front in this war,” which he described as the “war for truth,” primarily fought within the media and social platforms. He targeted U.S. figures and specifically New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom he labeled as “anti-Semitic.” Netanyahu unflinchingly asserted, “you can’t silence the truth.”
